Varma honored by Glaucoma Research Foundation
Photo Courtesy of the Glaucoma Research Foundation
The award, which acknowledges exemplary volunteer leadership, was presented by Tom Brunner, the foundation’s president, at the 31st anniversary celebration Jan. 28 in San Francisco. President George H. W. Bush, who was honorary national chairman of the celebration, introduced the ceremonies via a videotaped welcome.
Varma was honored for his leadership and commitment to a Glaucoma Awareness Day that grew out of his research. Varma’s recent Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES), confirming that Latinos are among the highest at risk for glaucoma “is widely regarded as the definitive research on this subject,” Brunner said in presenting the award. The study was funded by the National Eye Institute.
Inspired by Varma’s urgent call to action, and with funding from Allergan, the Glaucoma Research Foundation hosted Ver Es Poder (Seeing is Empowering) this past May in Santa Ana. More than 350 people participated.
“Varma’s own selfless personal leadership in Ver Es Poder – giving previews of his research findings to community groups, mobilizing several Spanish-speaking physicians in his team at Doheny Eye Institute to volunteer their time in the screenings – set the highest example,” Brunner said.
At the Keck School’s Doheny Eye Institute, Varma is director of the Glaucoma Service, the Ocular Epidemiology Center and the Clinical Trials Unit. An expert on changes in the optic nerve in glaucoma, he is studying new imaging techniques in the early diagnosis of optic nerve damage. Varma also has been involved in the development of novel implantable intraocular pressure sensors and drainage devices.
Glaucoma is the leading preventable cause of blindness in the United States. For 30 years, the Glaucoma Research Foundation has funded innovative clinical, epidemiological and laboratory research.
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The Chronicle of Higher Education mentioned USC’s $6 billion fundraising campaign. The story noted that USC had already raised $1 billion in a “quiet phase,” including the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College.
The Guardian (U.K.) highlighted two major gifts to USC in a list of the 10 biggest philanthropic benefactors in America. The list included the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
The New York Times featured the USC U.S.-China Institute documentary “Assignment: China — The Week that Changed the World.” The documentary, part of a series, examines media coverage of the 1972 Nixon trip that reshaped U.S.-China relations after a quarter century of isolation and hostility. “People look back now and take it for granted that the outcome was preordained,” said the institute’s Mike Chinoy, who produced the documentary. Voice of America also featured the story.
Los Angeles Times featured the Oscar Senti-meter, a tool developed by the USC Annenberg School, Los Angeles Times and IBM that analyzes thousands of tweets about the Academy Awards nominees. The story noted that Mexican actor Demian Bechir received an enormous boost on Twitter the day of the nominations, with a total of 6,893 tweets mentioning him, a 47-fold increase from the day before. The story noted the tool uses language-recognition technology developed in collaboration with USC Viterbi School’s Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab.
The Times of India (India) featured a three-day medical emergency training workshop organized in association with USC. At the workshop, held at GCS Medical College in India, 50 doctors and more than 100 paramedics learned how to improve emergency support systems. William Mallon of the Keck School of USC said that discussion topics included the use of portable ultrasonic devices to scan patients. “The ultrasound applications help physicians make accurate and timely decisions,” he noted. Daily News & Analysis (India) also featured the workshop.
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