2012 ARVO Award recipients honored at annual meeting

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) is pleased to announce its 2012 ARVO Award recipients. These award recipients will be acknowledged at the ARVO 2012 Annual Meeting, May 6 – 10, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Proctor Medal: Peter Sterling, PhD

Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology: John V. Forrester, MD, ChB, FARVO

Cogan Award: Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD

Friedenwald Award: Josh Wallman, PhD, FARVO (posthumously)

Proctor Medal and Lecture

ARVO is presenting the Proctor Medal to Peter Sterling, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine for his distinguished career in vision research, touching on a broad range of fundamental topics and providing great insight into the relation between structure and function in visual information processing. Sterling will present the 2012 Proctor Medal Lecture, "Principles of Retinal Design," at the Annual Meeting on Monday, May 7.

Weisenfeld Award and Lecture

ARVO is recognizing John V. Forrester, MD, ChB, FARVO, of the University of Aberdeen for his academic publications relating to clinical ophthalmology, basic eye research, immunology and cell biology. He created from nothing one of the UK's finest academic ophthalmology departments and has trained over 36 PhDs/MDs and mentored many colleagues. Forrester will deliver the 2012 Weisenfeld Award Lecture, "Investigating Ophthalmology with Translational Science," at the Annual Meeting on Monday, May 7.

Cogan Award and Lecture

ARVO is honoring Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye Institute for his laboratory research directed at neuroprotection and regeneration of retinal ganglion cells, and for contributing significant discoveries about the failure of optic nerve regeneration. Goldberg will present the 2012 Lecture, "Retinal Ganglion Cell Development and Regeneration," on Tuesday, May 8.

Friedenwald Award

ARVO is recognizing Josh Wallman, PhD, FARVO, of City University of New York City College with the 2012 Friedenwald Award for his championing the chick as an animal model for myopia. His research contributed to the acceptance that myopia is not purely genetic, with the demonstration that eye growth is locally regulated and sensitive to the visual environment. Two other key findings include choroidal "accommodation," an alternative way of adjusting ocular defocus, and diurnal rhythms in eye growth, perturbation of which have been linked to abnormal eye growth.

Dr. Wallman passed away on Saturday, March 3, 2012. He will be honored during the ARVO Foundation and Dowling Society Dinner and Awards Gala on Saturday, May 5.

Provided by Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology