Lighthouse Guild Honors Daniel Palanker, PhD, and Pradeep Y. Ramulu, MD, PhD, for their Significant Achievements in Vision Science Research

NEW YORK, April 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lighthouse Guild, the leading not-for-profit vision + healthcare organization, today announced that accomplished scientists Dr. Daniel Palanker and Dr. Pradeep Y. Ramulu are the 2016 recipients of its annual vision science awards.

Dr. Daniel Palanker is the prestigious 2016 Bressler Prize recipient and Dr. Pradeep Y. Ramulu is the 2016 Pisart Award honoree. Both are being recognized for their remarkable contributions to the field of vision science. Drs. Palanker and Ramulu were chosen by an independent panel of judges from various vision care disciplines for the important impact of their research. 

"Improving the lives of people who are blind or visually impaired is a core tenet of Lighthouse Guild's mission. By recognizing leading clinicians and researchers, we bring new energy to our shared purpose and help lay the foundation for tomorrow's breakthroughs," said Alan R. Morse, JD, PhD, President and CEO of Lighthouse Guild. "We look forward to seeing their future work and to working with them to help people with vision loss."

2016 Bressler Prize Recipient Dr. Daniel Palanker

Dr. Daniel Palanker, a professor of the Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, and Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory at Stanford University in Stanford, California, has a long history of leadership and service to vision research.

"I'm very pleased to be named the recipient of the 2016 Bressler Prize," said Dr. Palanker. "I am honored to be recognized for my research contributions. I believe there is great promise in the development of optical and electronic technologies for preservation and restoration of vision. The Bressler Prize will further energize our efforts to advance lasers and prosthetic technologies for preservation and restoration of central vision in various macular diseases."

A physicist by training, Dr. Palanker is working at the interface of physics in medicine, with a focus on ophthalmology. At Stanford, he directs one of the most sophisticated multi-disciplinary research programs on electro-neural interfaces, including photovoltaic retinal implants that are wireless, thin and modular, allowing for easier implantation and better vision. Besides his work on retinal prosthetics and neural stimulation for treatment of dry eye syndrome, Dr. Palanker's studies of the laser interactions with retinal cells revealed the tissue response mechanisms that lie at the root of the cellular repair following laser therapy, which led to development of the non-damaging retinal laser therapy for the macula.

Since 2003, the Bressler Prize has annually recognized a mid-career vision clinician or scientist whose leadership, research and service have led to important advancements in the understanding of vision loss, treatment of eye disease, or the rehabilitation of people with vision loss.  As the 2016 Bressler Prize winner, Dr. Palanker will receive a prize of $50,000 thanks to the generosity of the late Alfred W. Bressler. He will also lead Lighthouse Guild's Annual Symposium in New York City, where he will be joined by other leading researchers and clinicians who will present their latest findings in vision research.

2016 Pisart Award Recipient Dr. Pradeep Y. Ramulu

Dr. Pradeep Ramulu is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. While Dr. Ramulu's clinical activity is as a glaucoma specialist, his research broadly looks at vision loss brought about by conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, severe dry eye disease, cataract as well a glaucoma linking them to quality of life and developing innovative applications of technology to the problems that visual impairment produce for those affected.

"I am humbled to be named the 2016 Pisart Award honoree," said Dr. Ramulu. "Lighthouse Guild is an organization committed to meeting the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired, and I appreciate their recognition. I remain dedicated to our shared mission, and look forward to continuing with innovative vision science research."

The Pisart Award was established in 1981 and has annually recognized an early-career vision clinician or scientist whose noteworthy, innovative and scholarly contributions in vision science have the potential for substantial influence in the understanding of vision loss, treatment of eye disease or the rehabilitation of people with vision loss. As the 2016 Pisart Award winner, Dr. Ramulu will receive a prize in the amount of $30,000 at Lighthouse Guild's Annual Symposium.

About Lighthouse Guild
Lighthouse Guild is the leading not-for-profit vision and healthcare organization with a long history of addressing the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities or chronic medical conditions. With more than 200 years of experience and service, Lighthouse Guild brings a level of understanding to vision care that is unmatched.  By integrating vision and healthcare services and expanding access through its programs and education and awareness, we help people lead productive, dignified and fulfilling lives.  For more information, visit lighthouseguild.org.

SOURCE Lighthouse Guild