Up Close and Personal with 2005 Award Winners

R.V. Paul Chan, MD, MBA

R.V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA is the Head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and the John H. Panton, MD Professor of Ophthalmology at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He is Co-Director of the Vitreoretinal Fellowship and serves as Director of the Pediatric Retina and Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Service. His clinical practice focuses on vitreoretinal surgery, with an expertise in pediatric retinal disease. Dr. Chan received his BA from the University of Pennsylvania, MD from the Temple University School of Medicine, MSc from Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC), and MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. After completing Ophthalmology residency at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital of WCMC, he went on to a Fellowship in Vitreoretinal Surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chan spent nine years on faculty at WCMC, as Director of the Retina Service and Vitreoretinal Fellowship, before moving to UIC in 2015.

Dr. Chan is a global leader in pediatric blindness prevention and ROP. His research focuses on utilizing new technology and imaging techniques to better evaluate and manage children with retinal disease. He has authored over 150 peer reviewed articles and receives grant funding from the NIH, the NSF, and a number of charitable foundations. He is a core team member of the Imaging and Informatics for ROP (i-ROP) consortium and leads the Global Education Network for ROP (GEN-ROP). Together, they have developed tele-education, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine programs, and have established clinical, teaching, and research collaborations around the world. Dr. Chan also serves as a consultant for programs sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Orbis International, and Helen Keller International (HKI). He has served on the Global ONE Advisory Board and the Ethics Committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), and is on the Executive Committee for the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO). Dr. Chan also serves as the Secretary for Global Alliances for the AAO and Chair for the ROP committee of the International Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Council (IPOSC).

Leonard Feiner, MD, PhD

For the past 15 years I have been working at NJRetina, a large retina only group in the garden state. Two of my partners, Jon Prenner and Paul Hahn, are also Michels award winners and it has been great to be a part of such a strong group.

In addition to clinical work, I have been active in clinical trials serving as a PI on many phase 2 and 3 trials.

My 3 daughters are growing up quickly and my two older girls will be in university this fall. (Hopefully)

Derek Y. Kunimoto, MD, JD

Dr. Kunimoto completed a 2-year vitreoretinal fellowship at Wills Eye Hospital, after finishing ophthalmology residency at Wills Eye Hospital, where he served as Co-Chief Resident. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and 2 major ophthalmology textbooks, The Wills Eye Video Atlas of Ocular Surgery, and the 4th edition of The Wills Eye Manual. Dr. Kunimoto has been very active in the clinical research of retinal diseases, participating acting as Principal Investigator or Investigator in over 150 clinical trials.

He is currently the Founder of the Retina and Vision Institute of Arizona. He served as Managing Partner at Retinal Consultants of AZ, Board member of the Arizona Ophthalmological Society, and past President of the Phoenix Ophthalmological Society and Vit-Buckle Society. He is a Co-founder of Aviceda Therapeutics. He is passionate about delivering the best eye care available, and his patients’ vision is of utmost importance to him.

He enjoys spending time and traveling with his wife and two children, barbecuing, and hiking.

Andrew A. Moshfeghi, MD

Andrew A. Moshfeghi, MD, MBA is Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the University of Southern California (USC) Roski Eye Institute at the Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California. At USC, he serves as Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs, Director of the Clinical Trials Unit, & Director of the Vitreoretinal Surgery Fellowship training program.

Thomas K. Schlesinger, MD, PhD

Dr. Schlesinger received a PhD from the University of Colorado where he studied cell signaling. He received a MD from USC Keck school of medicine, then completed residency at USC/Doheny, and fellowship at Casey Eye Institute/OHSU. He has been practicing at North Bay Vitreoretinal Consultants in Santa Rosa, CA for 14 years.