The Mid-South Lions Club has presented a major gift to the University of Tennessee, Memphis Department of Ophthalmology for the creation of an electrophysiology laboratory at LeBonheur Children's Medical Center. This laboratory will permit sophisticated electrodiagnostic testing of children with hereditary retinal disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa, as well as those with acquired visual loss from trauma. Additionally, children with ocular and orbital cancers treated with radiation and chemotherapy at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital also suffer damage to the retina and visual pathways, and testing with this equipment will help guide their treatment. The new laboratory will be under the direction of Alessandro Iannaconne, M.D., who was recruited specifically for his expertise in electrophysiologic testing of retinal disorders. Mr. Brad Baker, Executive Director of the Mid-South Lions, who announced the gift, and Mr. James Smerling, President of LeBonheur Children's Medical Center, who donated the space for the laboratory, were both enthusiastic about the new service. "This collaborative effort of UT, LeBonheur and the Lions Club will be a great benefit to the children of the Mid-South region, " said Mr. Baker at a recent Lions Club meeting.

Mr. Brad Baker Accepts Award From Dr. Haik

The Department of Ophthalmology is pleased to announce the recruitment of Peter H. Spiegel, M.D. as Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, specializing in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus and neuro-ophthalmology. Dr. Spiegel received his undergraduate degree from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts and his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Both his internship and residency in ophthalmology were completed in New Orleans, respectively at the Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation and Tulane University Medical Center. Dr. Spiegel pursued his sub-specialty training at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, where he was a fellow in neuro-ophthalmology with Drs. Michael Wall, Stanley Thompson and Randy Kardon, and at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, where Dr. Kenneth Wright supervised his fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. In addition to his outstanding academic credentials, Dr. Spiegel brings to the Department a unique range of teaching and research interests which will enrich our training and clinical research programs. He will continue his investigation of new methods of documenting and evaluating abnormalities of ocular motility and new approaches to detecting visual field defects. These areas of investigation will have great impact for both adults and children with neuro-ophthalmologic disease. Dr. Spiegel's clinical expertise and interests have particularly application for the patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and Dr. Spiegel will have a regular weekly clinic at St. Jude. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Peter Spiegel to our Department and to the Memphis medical community.

Peter H. Spiegel, M.D.

Barrett G. Haik, M.D., F.A.C.S. co-authored "The Posttherapeutic Orbit", a chapter in POSTTHERAPEUTIC DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING, published by Lippincott-Raven, with Drs. Darryl Ainbinder, Robert Mazzoli, Mahmood Mafee and Ava Huchun. Dr. Haik was also an International Guest Speaker at the 14th Annual Sympoisum of the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadhi, Saudi Arabia in March of 1997. Dr. Haik spoke on retinoblastoma, the orbit in systemic disease and ophthlamic complications of radiation therapy, among other topics.

Richard D. Drewry, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S., Associate Professor and Vice-Chair, received the Golden Apple Award for teachnig excellence from the UT School of Medicine Class of 1999.

Alessandro Iannaccone, M.D. published "The ocular phenotype of the Bardet-Biedl syndrome: comparison to non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa," in the most recent issue of Ophthalmic Genetics.

The 26th Annual Alumni and Residents Day, held on Friday, May 30th, was an enlightening educational forum for all members of the Department and the Visual Sciences Group of the University, alumni, and members of the local ophthalmic medical community. Following cases presentations to the Visiting Professor, and senior project presentations by the third-year residents, Dr. J. James Rowsey, Professor and Chair of the University of South Florida Department of Ophthalmology, gave the 7th Annual Kambara Lecture on refractive surgery, a topic of great interest to the audience. The afternoon session consisted of scientific presentations by the faculty, researchers and volunteer staff of the Department, highlighted by talks by two recently recruited faculty members, Drs. Peter Netland and Peter Spiegel. The attendees were also invited to view a poster session presenting research projects of the Ophthalmology faculty, residents and members of the Visual Science Group recently displayed at the ARVO conference.

Dr. Haik Presents Dr. Rowsey The Kambara Award

Stephen V. Scoper, M.D., Associate Professor, received the Roger L. Hiatt Award for his outstanding contribution to resident instruction and academic development, and Audrey W. Tuberville, M.D. was the recipient of the Philip M. Lewis Award in appreciation of her outstanding contribution to resident instruction and clinical service for the 1996-1997 academic year. The recipients of these teaching awards are selected by vote of the residents.	Dr. Scoper (Center) and Drs. Baker, Durboraw, Rice and Harris
The annual award for Distinguished Alumnus was presented to F. Hampton Roy, M.D. of Little Rock, Arkansas (residency, 1966) in appreciation of his outstanding service to ophthalmology. In his acceptance address, Dr. Roy stressed attention to community service and personal growth as equal partners to development and application of professional skills.	Dr. Tuberville (Center) And Senior Residents
Additionally, recognition awards were presented to Dr. Jerre and Mr. Curtis Freeman of EagleVision, Inc., for their support of the residency training program and to Mr. Brad Baker, Executive Director of the Mid-South Lions Club, for his personal interest and support of the goals of the Department of Ophthalmology.	Dr. Roy (Right), With (From Left), His Son-In-Law And Daughter, Shane and Kim Ayres And Mrs. Michelle Roy

Without the continuing generosity of the alumni and friends of the Department, it would be impossible for us to complete our current educational and research objectives or undertake additional projects. You can help by contributing to existing drives, specifically the completion of an endowed professorship honoring Dr. Roger L. Hiatt, or by underwriting a project of particular interest to you or your family. For additional information on charitable donations to the Department of Ophthalmology at UT Memphis, please contact Ms. Glenda O'Connor at the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, UT College of Medicine, 901-448-5516 or 1-800-733-0482 or our Department offices at 901-448-5883.

Calvin Roberts, M.D., Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Cornell University School of Medicine in New York, served as a Visiting Professor on May 9th, 1997. Dr. Roberts, who is a nationally recognized authority on cornea and external disease, presented an extremely instructive session on "Specular Microscopy", a sophisticated technique for determining the viability of corneal cells in patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Dr. Calvin Roberts Receives Visiting Professor Plaque From Dr. Haik

The Department of Ophthalmology presented nine posters at the recent Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Meeting, held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in May. Dr. R. Christopher Walton, Assistant Professor, supervised and co-authored three resident presentations: "Chronic Anterior Uveitis following Cataract Extraction" with Dr. William Mitchell; "Periocular Corticosteroids as Initial Therapy for Bone Marrow Transplant Retinopathy" with Dr. William Mallon; "Combined Intravenous Ganciclovir and Foscaranet as Initial Therapy for Sight-Threatening CMV Retinitis" with Dr. Phillip Fraterrigo and Dr. Mallon. Howard M. Jernigan, Ph.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Biochemistry, presented "Effects of Xylose on Cultured Monkey Lenses: A Model for Study of Sugar Cataracts in a Primate", co-authored with members of his research team, and with Ying Lui, "Correlation of Phosphorycholine Synthesis and ATP Concentration in Sugar Cataracts." Dianna A. Johnson, Ph.D., Professor of Ophthalmology and Neuroanatomy, and Director of Research, UT Ophthalmology, presented "A Possible Role for Polyamines In Development of The Outer Plexiform Layer." with Dr. C.K. Mitchell, Alessandro Iannaccone, M.D. presented "The Effect of 5-Isosorbide Mononitrate (ISMO) On Optic Nerve Head and Foveal Choroidal Blood Flow" with Drs. Grunwald and Du Pont and Monica M. Jablonski, Ph.D., presented "Abnormal Formation of Outer Segments In Xenopus Laevis Eye Rudiments Cultured With RDS Anti-Sense Oligonucleotides". with Drs. Kancherla, Kedzierski, and Travis. Finally, Natalie C. Kerr, M.D., Assistant Professor, and co-workers, presented "Retinal Hemorrhages after Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Pediatric Intensive Care Patients".