Up Close and Personal with 2011 Award Winners

Cagri G. Besirli, MD, PhD

I’m an Executive Medical Director leading Early Development and Translational Medicine for Specialty Ophthalmology at Johnson & Johnson. In addition, I have a part-time appointment as a tenured Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Michigan Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. On the pharma side, I’m working on developing new therapies for retinal diseases including gene therapy for AMD and IRDs. My clinical practice focuses on primarily on pediatric retinal diseases including ROP.

When I’m not working, I enjoy traveling and spending time with my family, following Michigan sports, and tackling small home improvement projects around the house.

Paul Hahn, MD, PhD

Since 2016, I have been a retina specialist and director of clinical research in a private practice in northern New Jersey (NJ Retina) after spending several years immediately following fellowship as part of the vitreoretinal surgery faculty at Duke University. I remain active in the leadership board of the American Society of Retina Specialists, both as the Editor of the ASRS Preferences and trends (PAT) Survey and as Chair of various committees (such as the Education Committee, Health Economics Committee, and ReST Committee).

Phoebe Lin, MD, PhD

I am currently an Associate Professor at the Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon. My clinical practice consists of 50% vitreoretinal disease and surgery and 50% uveitis and related conditions.

My lab focuses on therapeutic changes in the intestinal microbiome to treat autoimmune uveitis and age-related macular degeneration. Other areas of research include novel drug delivery for retinal diseases and leukocyte trafficking in uveitis.

In my spare time I enjoy tinkering on the piano, spending time with my husband, baby girl, and dog, hiking and trying new recipes.

Nikolas J.S. London, MD

Greetings friend and members of the Michels Fellowship Foundation. After sadly losing Paul Tornambe to pulmonary fibrosis, I now serve as the President and managing partner of Retina Consultants San Diego, and continue to serve as our Director of Clinical Trials as well as the Chief of Ophthalmology at a local hospital. I also recently founded the fledgling Ophthalmology Society of San Diego, with the hope of bringing the San Diego ophthalmology community closer together. It is a busy and exciting time, and I am excited for the future.