It was UNMC’s reputation for innovation, commitment to collaboration and passion for excellent patient care that drew two internationally known ophthalmology experts to Omaha from the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Quan Dong Nguyen, M.D., and his wife, Diana Do, M.D., were recruited this spring to create a center of excellence at the Stanley M. Truhlsen Eye Institute, the new home of ophthalmology patient care and clinical research that opened in June.
“We want patients from all over the world to know about the institute and to be referred here for their eye care,” Dr. Nguyen said.
Together, they will attempt to fill the shoes of the late Carl Camras, M.D., former chairman of ophthalmology and visual sciences. Dr. Camras elevated UNMC’s ophthalmology department to national prominence through research and clinical care with his discovery of the most effective drug for treating glaucoma.
“We knew of Dr. Camras’ great research and contributions to medicine,” Dr. Nguyen said. “He had such a big influence at UNMC and around the world; we want to continue that tradition. Our goal is to provide new and innovative treatments for eye diseases and bring hope to patients through this institute.”
Among Dr. Nguyen’s many honors is the Carl Camras Translational Research Award from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Foundation.
Dr. Camras was the leading glaucoma specialist in the world before his death in 2009. Named in his honor, the Carl Camras Center for Innovative Clinical Trials in Ophthalmology at the Truhlsen Institute will pave the way for UNMC to build a world-class clinical trial research center for eye diseases.
Dr. Nguyen is the McGaw Memorial Endowed Professor and chairman of the department of ophthalmology and visual sciences and director of the Truhlsen Eye Institute. A graduate of Yale University, Dr. Nguyen obtained his medical degree in 1993 from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia and completed his internship at the Massachusetts General Hospital and his residency in Opthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary/Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Do is associate professor of ophthalmology, vice chairwoman for education, director of the residency training program, and director of the Carl Camras Center. She obtained her medical degree from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine in 1999. After her internship in medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, she completed her ophthalmology residency and retina fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute.
Although both were born in Vietnam, Drs. Nguyen and Do didn’t meet until she was a UCSF medical student and he an ophthalmology fellow at Harvard.
Together, they have imported a team of eight international clinician-scientists to jumpstart the clinical trials center.
The team consists of intelligent and dedicated researchers and physicians from Pakistan, Spain, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Korea and the U.S., who sought Drs. Nguyen and Do as mentors. Once their fellowships are completed, these researchers will return to their country to practice what they’ve learned and establish research centers, then new fellows will join the team.
Drs. Nguyen and Do, known for their innovative evaluation of novel therapeutic agents, serve as principal investigators on clinical trials sponsored by $8 million in grants from the National Eye Institute, non-profit organizations, and industry for diabetic macular edema, age-related macular degeneration, and ocular inflammatory and uveitic diseases.
Drs. Nguyen and Do’s single and multicenter studies have examined more than 10 new drugs for various eye diseases. Their mission is to design and conduct the three phases of clinical trials that will assist in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval process.
Their clinical research has been instrumental in obtaining approval for two new drugs – Lucentis and Eyelea – to treat wet
age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In addition, their research contributions also have led to the use of Lucentis for diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion.
Wet AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults. It gradually destroys the macula, the part of the retina that provides sharp, central vision needed to see objects clearly. New blood vessels grow and leak blood and fluid into the retina, causing the macula to swell. Damage occurs rapidly and may also scar the retina.
Wet AMD affects about 15 percent of all people with AMD. This type is more severe than the early and intermediate stages of the dry form.
“Currently, we have effective treatments for wet AMD, but not for dry macular degeneration,” Dr. Do said. “In the clinical trials center, we’ll investigate novel therapies and surgical procedures to provide more options for patients who are experiencing vision loss associated with dry AMD and other retinal diseases.”
The two physicians also have been innovators in the field of ocular imaging, which helps diagnose and manage a variety of retinal diseases. Through collaborations with engineers at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Drs. Nguyen and Do have designed a system to capture high resolution images, measure oxygen and analyze tissue in the retina. In addition, they have worked with various companies to study optical coherence tomography and wide-field imaging of the retina to better understand and treat complex eye diseases.
“The Truhlsen Eye Institute will offer the latest technology in imaging to diagnose and treat eye diseases,” said Dr. Do. “In addition, we have the Ocular Imaging Research and Reading Center that also will enable us to be at the forefront of clinical research, serving as the coordinating and reading centers for national and international clinical trials.”
Stanley Truhlsen, M.D., emeritus professor and former chairman of UNMC’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, is nationally recognized in the field of ophthalmology. The $20 million institute is located at 40th and Leavenworth streets, next to the Weigel Williamson Center for Visual Rehabilitation and the Home Instead Center for Successful Aging on the UNMC campus.
“Medical advances have allowed the population to live longer; however, more people are developing diseases related to aging,” Dr. Do said. “UNMC can become a center of excellence for age- and eye- related diseases.”
They look forward to working with their colleagues at the Truhlsen Eye Institute to continue the tradition of bringing outstanding eye care to patients. Drs. Nguyen and Do said UNMC’s environment of collaboration appealed to them and made their decision to move easy. In addition, Omaha is a great place to raise their three young daughters.