We are thrilled to announce that one of our own vision researchers, Dr. Anbukkarasi Muniyandi has been accepted into the prestigious NAEVR (National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research) 2024 Emerging Vision Scientist Program! This distinguished honor recognizes her exceptional contributions to the field of vision research and provides an incredible opportunity to advocate for the future of eye health.

The Emerging Vision Scientist Program brings together the brightest minds in vision science. Participants engage with policymakers in Washington, D.C., sharing their groundbreaking work and advocating for crucial funding. This program is vital for fostering innovation and ensuring continued progress in preventing, treating, and curing eye diseases.

UCSF Department of Ophthalmology is proud to be a leader in vision research, dedicated to discovering new and advanced treatments for a variety of eye conditions. Continued support from the NEI (National Eye Institute) and the CDMRP’s (Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs) Vision Research Program is essential for sustaining our efforts and making breakthroughs that improve lives.

Join us in congratulating Dr. Muniyandi on this well-deserved honor and in supporting the importance of vision research funding!

Congratulations to Dr. Muniyandi, a Senior Research Scientist working with Dr. Yvonne Ou in the Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF School of Medicine.

FAMILY INITIATIVES

The impact of UCSF Ophthalmology reaches far beyond the Bay Area, as exemplified by a heartwarming tribute to Landon, a young boy diagnosed with Gould Syndrome, organized by his family from St. Louis, Missouri. Despite the pouring rain on October 30, 2022, more than 150 adults and children gathered to celebrate Landon’s first birthday through a Lap for Landon walk to raise awareness for his condition.

One-third of infants diagnosed with Gould Syndrome have cataracts or developmental defects leading to early-onset glaucoma. This rare, multisystem disorder named after Douglas Gould, PhD, Professor and Vice President for Research for UCSF Ophthalmology, honors his groundbreaking discovery and tireless research in this area.

The syndrome results from mutations in collagen genes COL4A1 and COL4A2 responsible for the support and reinforcement of body tissues.

The family’s effort contributed over $12,000 from the walk to support Dr. Gould’s vision research, aiming to make a lasting difference in treating this uncommon ailment.

Spreading the word proves fruitful

All May See has raised awareness and funds for Gould Syndrome for more than a year. Our journey began on Rare Disease Day 2022 with a generous $125,000 challenge gift from a Texas family whose 9-year-old son had recently been diagnosed with Gould Syndrome (featured in Vision Summer 2022). On Rare Disease Day and Gould Syndrome Day 2023, we issued a second challenge to reach $250,000 in donations. Through the kind contributions of individuals and families worldwide affected by Gould Syndrome, we have raised over $187,000.

The fund’s purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms of Gould Syndrome. Dr. Gould’s lab is actively exploring therapeutic avenues, including the potential use of CRISPR gene-editing technology, which holds promise.

The St. Louis family is holding the Second Lap for Landon on Saturday, October 21st. To support this effort in honor of Landon and individuals affected world-wide, please visit the All May See Foundation donation page (allmaysee.org/donate) and select “Lap for Landon 2023” from the drop-down menu under “Designation.”

Leila Shirazi: Assistant Clinical Professor and Associate Chief of Pediatric Optometry

We are pleased to announce Dr. Shirazi is featured on the Women of UCSF website.

Read her inspiring story here:
https://womenofucsfhealth.ucsf.edu/blog/leila-h-shirazi-od-faao

Although nearly both blind and deaf, Rebecca Alexander is an inspiration to us all. She is an author, psychotherapist, group fitness instructor, disability rights advocate, and extreme athlete.

A patient of UCSF ophthalmologist, Jacque Duncan, MD, Rebecca was born with Usher syndrome type 3A, a rare genetic disorder which has caused progressive loss of both her sight and hearing since she was a teenager. Despite these unfathomable challenges, Rebecca maintains her drive for life, rising above and beyond every challenge she faces.

In 1996, young Rebecca was selected to be an Olympic torchbearer in the nationwide relay prior to the Atlanta Games because of her ability to face adversity with grace and courage. Since then, her extraordinary accomplishments have included summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro, participating in the 600-mile San Francisco to Los Angeles AIDS Lifecycle ride, swimming from Alcatraz to shore in the San Francisco Bay for That Man May See’s Swim for Sight, skydiving, bungee jumping, and regularly competing in events for extreme athletes.

Sharing her story to help others face their own challenges, Rebecca presented for TEDx Cape May What’s the Story? She has been widely featured on such shows as The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, Morning Joe, The Dr. Oz Show, ABC News, NBC News, and PBS Radio. She has also been featured in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The New York Post, USA Today, Huffington Post, Fitness, Shape, Women’s Health, Marie Claire, and Cosmopolitan.

Her book, Not Fade Away: A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found, tells the 42-year-old author’s story of courage and motivation from starting to lose sight and hearing as a child, to a shattering fall from a window at 18, to her triumph over these physical, psychological, and philosophical obstacles. Her inspiring story is now the subject of a forthcoming Netflix feature film from Annapurna Pictures, produced by John Krasinski and David O. Russell.

Over the years, Rebecca has won a number of awards, including a Helen Keller Achievement Award from the American Foundation for the Blind, the Foundation Fighting Blindness Hope and Spirit Award, and the Future Visions Foundation’s Luminary Award to name a few.