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Laboratory Directors

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Karl
CEO

Karl Csaky, M.D., Ph.D.

David Birch
Scientific Director

David Birch, Ph.D.

Eilen Birch
Director

Eileeen Birch, Ph.D.

Dr. Krista Kelly headshot
Director

Krista Kelly, Ph.D.

Yzw Photo 2018 Rfsw
Director

Yi-Zhong Wang, Ph.D.

CEO

Karl Csaky, M.D., Ph.D.

Chief Executive and Medical Officer
Director, Molecular Ophthalmology Laboratory
T. Boone Pickens Senior Scientist
Clinical Center of Innovation for AMD

M.D., University of Louisville, 1983
Ph.D., University of Louisville, 1987

NIH Bibliography: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/karl.csaky.1/bibliography/public

Research:  

Macular Degeneration

Representative Publications:

Csaky, K.G.  Anti-VEGF therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: promises and possible pitfalls.  Ophthalmol 110:879-81 (2003).

Cousins, S., Espinosa-Heidmann, D. and Csaky, K.G.  Monocyte activation in patients with AMD:  a biomarker of risk for choroidal neovascularization?  Arch Ophthalmol 122:1013-18 (2004).

Kim, H., Robinson, M.R., Lizak, M.J., Tansey, G., Lutz, R.J., Yuan, P., Wang, N.M., Csaky, K.G.  Controlled drug release from an ocular implant:  an evaluation using dynamic 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging.  Invest Ophthal Vis Sci: 45: 2722-31 (2004).

Strunnikova, N., Hilmer. S., Flippin, J., Robinson, M.R., Hoffman, E., Csaky, K.G. Differences In gene expression profiles in dermal fibroblasts from control and patients with age related macular degeneration elicited by oxidative injury.  Free Radic Biol Med 39: 781-96 (2005).

Robinson, M.R., Lee, S.S., Kim, H., Kim, S., Lutz, R.J., Galban, C., Bungay, P.M., Yuan, P., Wang, N.S., Kim, J., Csaky, K.G.  A rabbit model for assessing the ocular barriers to the transscleral delivery of triamcinolone acetonide.  Exp Eye Res. 82:479-87(2006)

Gilger, B.C., Salmon, J.H., Wilkie, D.A., Cruysburg, L, Kim, Y., Hayat, M., Kim, H., Kim, S., Yuan, P, Lee, S.S., Harrington, S., Murray, P., Edelhauser, H.F., Csaky, K.G., Robinson, M.R., A Novel bioerodible suprachoroidal cyclosporine implant for uveitis.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 47:2596-605 (2006).

Csaky, K.G., Richman, E.A., Ferris, F.L 3rd.  Report from the NEI/FDA Ophthalmic Clinical Trial Design and Endpoints Symposium.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 49:479-89 (2008).

Thill, M., Strunnikova, N.V., Berna, M.J., Gordiyenko, N., Schmid, K., Cousins, S.W., Thompson, D.J., Csaky, K.G.  Late outgrowth endothelial progenitor cells in patients with age-related macular degeneration.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 492696-708 (2008).

Csaky, K.G.  Comparison of age-related macular degeneration treatment trials: what did we learn?  Retina. 32:413-6  (2012).

Csaky, K.G., Dugel, P.U., Pierce A.J., Fries, M.A., Kelly, D.S., Danis, R.P., Wurzelmann, J.I., Xu, C.-F., Hossain, M., Trivedi, T.  Clinical Evaluation of Pazopanib Eye Drops versus Ranibizumab Intravitreal Injections in Subjects with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.  Ophthalmology. 122:579-88. (2015).

Csaky, K.G., Schachat, A.P.,  Kaiser, P.K., Small, K.W., Heier, J.S.  The Use of Genetic Testing in the Management of Patients With Age-Related Macular Degeneration:  American Society of Retina Specialists Genetics Task Force Special Report.   J VitreoRet Dis  1: 75 (2017).

Csaky, K., Ferris, F. 3rd, Chew, E.Y., Nair, P., Cheetham, J.K., Duncan, J.L.  Report From the NEI/FDA Endpoints Workshop on Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Inherited Retinal Diseases.  Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 58:3456-3463  (2017).

Csaky K.G., Patel, P.J., Sepah, Y.J., Birch, D.G., Do, D.V., Ip, M.S., Guymer, R.H., Luu, C.D., Gune, S., Lin, H., Ferrara, D.  Microperimetry for Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration.  Surv Ophthalmol. 2019 Jan 28.

Mailing Address:

Dr. Karl Csaky
Retina Foundation of the Southwest
9600 N. Central Expressway, Suite 200
Dallas, TX 75231
USA

Office:214.363.3911, ext. 137

Email:kcsaky@retinafoundation.org

Scientific Director

David Birch, Ph.D.

Director, Rose-Silverthorne Retinal Degenerations Laboratory

Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara, 1978

NIH Bibliography: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/david.birch.1/bibliography/public/

Research: 

Genetic eye diseases, Macular degeneration, Electrophysiology, Visual function testing

Representative Publications:

Birch DG and Anderson JL. Standardized full-field ERGs: normal values and their variation with age. Arch Ophthal, 1992;110:1571-1576.

Birch DG, Hood DC, Nusinowitz S, and Pepperberg DR. Abnormal activation and inactivation of rod transduction in patients with autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa and the pro-23-his mutation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1995; 36:1603-1614.

Birch DG, Anderson JL, and Fish GE. Yearly rates of rod and cone functional loss in retinitis pigmentosa and cone-rod degeneration. Ophthalmol, 1999; 106:258-268.

Birch DG. Surrogate electroretinographic markers for assessing therapeutic efficacy in the retina. Exp Rev Mol Diag. 2004; 4: 693-703. PMID: 15347262.

Birch DG, Liang FQ. Age-related macular degeneration: A target for nano-technology derived medicines. International J. Nanomedicine. 2007; 2:1-13. PMID: 17722514.

Hood DC, Lazow MA, Locke KG, Greenstein VC, Birch DG. The transition zone between healthy and diseased retina in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Invest. Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2011; 52: 101-108. Aug 20 (Epub ahead of print] PMID: 20720228.

Birch DG, Wen Y, Locke KI, Hood DC. Rod sensitivity, cone sensitivity and photoreceptor layer thickness in retinal degenerative diseases. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 2011; 52(10): 7141-7. Sept 9, 2011 [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 21810977.

Wen YE, Klein M, Hood DC, Birch DG. Relationships among multifocal electroretinogram amplitude, visual field sensitivity, and SD-OCT receptor layer thickness in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci; Jan 12, 2012 [Epub ahead of print].

Mailing Address:

Dr. David Birch
Retina Foundation of the Southwest
9600 N. Central Expressway, Suite 200
Dallas, TX 75231
USA

Office:214.363.3911, ext. 105

Email:dbirch@retinafoundation.org

Director

Eileeen Birch, Ph.D.

Director, Crystal Charity Ball Pediatric Vision Laboratory

Ph.D., University of California, 1979
Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1980-1982

NIH Bibliography: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/eileen.birch.1/bibliography/public/

Research: 

Esotropia, Amblyopia, Hyperopia, Pediatric Cataracts, Retinopathy of Prematurity, Vision Screening, Infant Nutrition

Representative Publications:

Birch EE, Stager DR. Long-term motor and sensory outcomes following early surgery for infantile esotropia. JAAPOS, 2006, 10: 409-413.

Birch EE, Holmes JM. The clinical profile of amblyopia in children younger than 3 years of age. J AAPOS, 2010, 14: 494-7.

Birch EE, Stager Sr DR, Wang J, O’Connor AR. Longitudinal changes in refractive error of children with infantile esotropia,Eye, 2010, 24: 1814-21.

Birch E, Carlson S, Hoffman D, Fitzgerald-Gustafson K, Fu V, Drover J, Castañeda Y, Minns L, Wheaton D, Mundy D, Marunycz J, Diersen-Schade D. The DIAMOND study: A double masked, randomized controlled clinical trial of the maturation of infant visual acuity as a function of the dietary level of docosahexaenoic acid. Am J Clin Nutr, 2010, 91: 848-59.

Wang J, Spencer R, Leffler J, Birch E. Critical period for foveal fine structure in children with regressed retinopathy of prematurity. Retina, 2012, 32:330-9.

Birch E, Cheng C, Stager Jr D, Weakley D, Stager Sr D. The critical period for surgical treatment of dense congenital bilateral cataracts. J AAPOS, 2009, 13: 67-71. 

Mailing Address:

Dr. Eileen E. Birch
Retina Foundation of the Southwest
9600 N. Central Expressway, Suite 200
Dallas, TX 75231
USA

Office:214.363.3911, ext. 111

Pediatric Lab:214.363.3911, ext. 113

Email:ebirch@retinafoundation.org

Director

Krista Kelly, Ph.D.

Director, Vision and Neurodevelopment Laboratory

Ph.D., York University, 2014
Postdoctoral Fellow, Retina Foundation of the Southwest, 2014-2019

NIH Bibliography: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/krista.kelly.1/bibliography/public/

Research:

Visuocognitive and visuomotor development in pediatric eye conditions

Representative Publications:

Kelly, KR, Jost RM, De La Cruz A, Birch EE. Amblyopic children read more slowly than controls under natural, binocular reading conditions. Journal of AAPOS. 2015:19(6);515–520.

Kelly KR, Jost RM, Birch, EE. Multiple-choice answer form completion time in children with amblyopia and strabismus. JAMA Ophthalmology, 2018:136(8);938-941.

Kelly KR, Cheng-Patel C, Jost, R.M., & Birch, E.E. (2019). Fixation instability during binocular viewing in strabismic and anisometropic children. Experimental Eye Research, 2019:183;29–37.

Mailing Address:

Dr. Krista Kelly
Retina Foundation of the Southwest
9600 N. Central Expressway, Suite 200
Dallas, TX 75231
USA

Office:214.363.3911, ext. 108

Email:kkelly@rfsw.org

Director

Yi-Zhong Wang, Ph.D.

Director, Macular Function Laboratory

Ph.D., Indiana University, 1996

NIH Bibliography: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/yi-zhong.wang.1/bibliography/public/

Research: 

Shape Perception, Perceptual Organization, Aging, Amblyopia and Macular Degeneration

Representative Publications:

Wang, Y.Z., Morale, S. E., Cousins, R., and Birch, E. E. (2009) “Course of development of global hyperacuity over lifespan”, Optom & Vis Sci, Vol. 86 (6), 695-700.

Wang, Y. Z. and Hess, R. F. (2005) “Contributions of local orientation and position features to shape integration”. Vision Research. Vol. 45, 1375-83.

Wang, Y. Z., Wilson, C. E., Locke, K. G. and Edwards, A. O. (2002) “Shape discrimination in age-related macular degeneration”. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. Vol. 43(6), pp.2055-2062.

Wang, Y. Z. (2001) “Effects of aging on shape discrimination”. Optometry and Vision Science, Vol.78 (6), pp.447-454

Wang, Y.Z., Thibos, L.N., and Bradley, A. (1997). “Effects of spherical defocus on detection, resolution, and letter discrimination in the periphery”. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. 38, 2134-2143

Mailing Address:

Dr. Yi-Zhong Wang
Retina Foundation of the Southwest
9600 N. Central Expressway, Suite 200
Dallas, TX 75231
USA

Office:214.363.3911, ext. 133

Email:yiwang@retinafoundation.org

Staff

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The Retina Foundation of the Southwest is comprised of five laboratories. Our scientists are leading the way the world understands, prevents, and treats vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration, pediatric eye conditions, and inherited eye diseases.

Administrative/Development
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Mary Elizabeth Benton
Development Coordinator

Wanda Brownmiller
Human Resources & Office Manager

Natalie Gilbert, CPA
Finance Director

Jency John
Staff Accountant

Sarah Kelly
Senior Development Officer

Amy Lobner, MPH
Development Manager

Vanessa Peterson
Development Manager

Shana Risinger
Administrative Coordinator

Molecular Ophthalmology Laboratory
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Cindy Baillie
Project Manager

Tim Catchpole, Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate

Abigail Christie, M.S., COA, OSC
Research Associate

Karl Csaky, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief Executive and Medical Officer
T. Boone Pickens Director
Clinical Center of Innovation for AMD

Kimberly Cummings
Clinical Research Coordinator

Renee Denlar
Clinical Research Coordinator

Alexa Gilfoyle
Research Assistant

Kavitha Ilayaraja
Clinical Trial Coordinator

Chaitanya Konduri
Staff Scientist

Alison Takacs
Senior Research Associate

Amy Thompson, M.S.
Research Assistant II

Crystal Charity Ball
Pediatric Vision Laboratory
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Eileen Birch, Ph.D.
Director

Yolanda Castañeda, RN, BSN
Clinical Trials Director

Lindsey Hudgins
Research Assistant

Reed Jost, M.S.
Research Associate

Sarah Morale
Research Associate

Christina Patel
Clinical Research Associate

Rose-Silverthorne Retinal
Degenerations Laboratory
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David Birch, Ph.D.
Scientific Director

Kaylie Jones, M.S.
Senior Research Associate

Martin Klein, M.S.
Lab Manager

Kirsten Locke, CRA, FOPS
Clinical Trials Manager

Tein Luu
Research Assistant

Macular Function Laboratory
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Katherine Juroch II
Research Assistant

Yi-Zhong Wang, Ph.D.
Director

Vision and Neurodevelopment Laboratory
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Krista Kelly, Ph.D.
Director

Jeffrey Hunter
Research Assistant

Dorsa Mir Norouzi
Research Assistant

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Address: 9600 North Central Expressway, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75231

Phone: 214-363-3911 | EIN 51-0151514

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