Up Close and Personal with 2025 Award Winners

Fares Antaki, MDCM

I am honored and grateful to join the Michels family. I was born and raised in Aleppo, Syria, then moved to Canada, where I did most of my training. Inspired by my father, a retina surgeon, I pursued medicine at McGill University, residency at the University of Montreal, and trained in artificial medical intelligence at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. I am currently a vitreoretinal surgery fellow at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute. Next year, I will join the University of Montreal as a retina surgeon.

My research focuses on emerging technologies in retina and medicine, with artificial intelligence at the core. I enjoy coding, building systems, and turning research concepts into practical tools that people can use. My work has included oculomics, computer vision, large language models, virtual reality, and surgical education.

Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time with my wife Naomi and our daughter Sofia.

Jonathan Lin, MD, PhD

I am honored to join the Ronald G. Michels Fellowship Foundation family, and I am eternally grateful to all my mentors who have shaped who I am today. I grew up in Ohio, attended Emory University for college, and received a combined MD/PhD from Washington University in St. Louis. For my PhD, I studied how impaired metabolism and the aging innate immune system contribute to retinal neurodegeneration. I next completed the Harvard Ophthalmology Residency Training program. I am currently a vitreoretinal surgery fellow at Stanford University. I am passionate about a future career as a vitreoretinal surgeon-scientist who not only cares for patients with complex vitreoretinal diseases but also leads a research group dedicated towards improving our understanding of the molecular and cellular underpinnings of blinding diseases. In my free time, I enjoy exploring the great outdoors with my wife (and incredible scientist), Stephanie.

Warren Pan, MD, PhD, MPhil

I am deeply honored to join the Ronald G. Michels Fellowship Foundation family and am profoundly grateful to the mentors, colleagues, and patients who have shaped my journey in retina.

I graduated from Harvard College before earning my MD/PhD from the University of Michigan and completing a postdoctoral MPhil from the University of Cambridge. I then returned to the University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center for residency and stayed for vitreoretinal surgery fellowship. During this time, I have been fortunate to work alongside inspiring clinician-scientists who nurtured both my clinical and surgical skills, as well as my dedication to research.

My research focuses on integrating molecular profiling with multi-omics from human biospecimens to identify novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for blinding retinal diseases. Ultimately, I hope to translate these findings into improved care and outcomes for patients. Outside of work, I enjoy early mornings in my home garage gym and spending time with my wife and our growing family.

Landon Rohowetz, MD

I am deeply honored and grateful to the Michels Foundation for the privilege of being welcomed into the Michels family. My deepest gratitude goes to all my mentors, including Drs. Flynn, Yannuzzi, Berrocal, and Albini, whose guidance has profoundly shaped my career and life.

I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri–Columbia before attending medical school at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. I then pursued residency training in ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute where I was fortunate to stay for vitreoretinal surgery fellowship and chief residency.

My research interests focus on improving clinical and surgical outcomes in a variety of retinal diseases including retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, endophthalmitis, and ocular trauma. Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two children, traveling, and following University of Missouri sports.

Sidra Zafar, MD

I am honored and humbled to join the Michels family. I am originally from Pakistan and earned my medical degree at the Aga Khan University. Following medical school, I was fortunate to complete a research fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute. I subsequently stayed at Wilmer for my Ophthalmology residency. I am currently a vitreoretinal fellow at the Wills Eye Hospital. I will be returning to Wilmer to serve as the Assistant Chief of Service. I am eternally grateful to my mentors who have shaped my journey as a clinician, surgeon, researcher, and educator.

I have had the opportunity to conduct research on a variety of conditions, including endophthalmitis, retinal vascular diseases, proliferative vitreoretinopathy and trauma. My goal is to combine clinical care with research efforts to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of difficult-to-manage diseases.

In my free time, I like spending time with friends and family, playing pickleball and trying different types of olives.