Alumni Highlights

Maria Woodward, M.D., M.S.

Maria Woodward, M.D., M.S., has received a Career Advancement award from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) and the Allergan Foundation, to fund continued research into improving the diagnosis and management of corneal ulcers.

Her current work, through a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R-01 grant, uses morphologic and clinical features to risk-stratify patients with corneal ulcers for long-term outcomes. “This RPB award builds upon that research,” Dr. Woodward says. “RPB’s leadership deeply understands the phases of research. This grant mechanism supports a critical time in my research when our laboratory is expanding and innovating. Our NIH research and the collaborations that are fostered through the existing grant are opening up new pathways of discovery. The RPB grant provides our team the opportunity to continue to collaborate and maintain momentum to expand the scope of our investigations.”

Kellogg Chair Paul Lee, M.D., J.D., agrees. “RPB funding has supported researchers who have been associated with nearly every breakthrough in vision research in the last 60 years. The Career Advancement Award is the latest example of RPB’s forward looking perspective to enhance the success of innovative investigators to obtain their second (and often more difficult to obtain) NIH R0-1 award.”

“There are inflection points in research,” says Dr. Woodward. “These critical ‘aha’ moments are thrilling and sometimes daunting. I am truly grateful for RPB funding to extend our research in corneal infections using bioinformatics and deep-learning image analysis. This will let us help clinicians provide decision support tools to better care for our patients.” says Dr. Woodward.

Nieraj Jain, M.D.

Nieraj Jain, M.D.

Nieraj Jain, M.D. (Fellowship, 2014) joined the faculty of Emory University as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology in 2015, following a fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at Kellogg.

In his first years in practice, Dr. Jain observed a pattern of symptoms and peculiar macular characteristics in a number of his patients. Initially, they seemed to present as pattern dystrophy or macular degeneration. But advanced retinal imaging ruled out those diagnoses.

Dr. Jain found the common thread in patients’ medical records: prolonged use of the drug pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS, trade name Elmiron), the only FDA-approved oral medication for interstitial cystitis, or painful bladder syndrome. His discovery has led doctors and patients to reevaluate the risk/benefit of PPS, which now comes with a new FDA warning label.

Dr. Jain made the first of what promises to be many significant contributions to clinical ophthalmology. He credits Kellogg for his great start. “I am so grateful to my mentors at Kellogg,” he says. “My retina practice strives to emulate the Kellogg model – thoughtful, patient-centered care.”

Susan Burden, M.D.

Susan Burden, M.D.

Susan Burden, M.D. (B.S. 1997, M.D. 2001, Residency, 2005) has been elected the next president of Women in Ophthalmology (WIO). The WIO is committed to enhancing and improving the professional environment for women in the field. A comprehensive ophthalmologist, Dr. Burden is Associate Professor of Ophthalmology in the School of Medicine at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, and serves as Residency Program Director for the Department of Ophthalmology.

After completing undergraduate studies, medical school and residency at Michigan, Dr. Burden joined the Wake Forest faculty in 2005. At the time, she was the only female full time faculty member in ophthalmology.

“Coming from Kellogg, that was an unexpected adjustment,” she says. “I learned from so many exceptional mentors and role models (female and male) at Kellogg. They gave me the best possible clinical foundation for my career, and helped spark my interest in helping other women achieve success through WIO.”