Doheny Eye Institute Names New President and Chief Scientific Officer

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 1, 2015) - The Board of Directors at Doheny Eye Institute, a top-ranked nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering the conservation, improvement and restoration of human eyesight since 1947, today announced that SriniVas (Vas) Sadda, M.D., has been named President and Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Sadda, who joined Doheny Eye Institute in 2002, was selected following an extensive review process that included hundreds of leading ophthalmologists and vision scientists from around the country.

"When we embarked on the task of choosing a new President and CSO, our goal was to keep Doheny on the path of global leadership in basic and clinical vision research and advanced patient care," said Ed Landry, chairman of the Doheny board. "We are thrilled that Dr. Sadda has agreed to serve in this vitally important role for Doheny and are confident that he will continue to make unprecedented strides to conserve, improve, and restore human eyesight."

Dr. Sadda worked closely with his mentor, Dr. Stephen J. Ryan, Doheny's previous President of 27 years, who passed away in 2013. In a letter to the Doheny Board just weeks before he passed, Dr. Ryan wrote: "[Doheny's] new leadership team should seize new opportunities and take Doheny to even greater heights and accomplishments."

Thanks to a generous gift from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation in memory of Dr. Ryan, Dr. Sadda will become the inaugural chairholder of the Stephen J. Ryan - Arnold and Mabel Beckman Endowed Chair.

"I am honored to have been selected by the esteemed members of the executive committee of the board for this position," said Dr. Sadda. "I look forward to leading Doheny's tradition of excellence to new heights as we continue to expand our reach in the communities we serve and around the world."

Dr. Sadda will work alongside Marissa Goldberg, Doheny's Executive Director, and the Doheny board to develop Doheny's vision and strategic direction. Dr. Sadda and Mrs. Goldberg will lead Doheny Eye Institute as it embarks on a new 99-year affiliation agreement with the UCLA Stein Eye Institute. This affiliation combines the strength, reputation, and distinction of two of the nation's top eye institutions. Prior to their affiliation, and for more than two decades, these two vision institutes were consistently ranked among the top 5 and top 10 eye institutes in the country. Together they are forging a preeminent capability to advance vision research, education, and patient care across Southern California.

"The Doheny-UCLA-Stein affiliation is a beautiful fit," said Dr. Bartly Mondino, director of the Stein Eye Institute and chair of the department of ophthalmology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "We share similar missions and have a long history of collaboration. Together, our organizations can better serve our local communities and the millions of people worldwide who are impacted by partial or total loss of sight."

Since the affiliation was enacted in December of 2013, the Doheny-UCLA-Stein affiliation is already off to a remarkably successful start, having: (1) integrated the team of extraordinary doctors and scientists historically affiliated with Doheny; (2) strengthened its research and clinical collaboration with colleagues at UCLA's Stein Eye Institute; (3) upgraded its vision research center and (4) opened Doheny Eye Center UCLA patient clinics in Arcadia, Orange County, and Pasadena.

Tom Foscue, chair of the search committee for the President and CSO and Vice Chairman of the Doheny Eye Institute board of directors said, "Consistent with Dr. Steve Ryan's objective for excellence, Doheny has considerably strengthened its position by affiliating with a world-class university and a top 5 medical center, becoming stronger and more vibrant than ever. Doheny's quest for excellence is most recently exemplified by the selection of Dr. Sadda as our new President and Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Sadda has tremendous credibility both within the Doheny-UCLA-Stein affiliation, and among the ophthalmology community at large!"

About Doheny Eye Institute

The Doheny Eye Institute, established in 1947, is a top 5-ranked nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation, improvement, and restoration of human eyesight. Recognized as an outstanding center for vision research and education, the Doheny Eye Institute has emerged as a world leader in basic and clinical vision research. The institute is renowned for its innovative research, which has led to new diagnostic and treatment procedures and is internationally regarded for changing people's lives by improving their sight.

About SriniVas Sadda, M.D.

Dr. Sadda graduated from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) in 1990, and completed his medical degree and residency at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1994. After his residency, he completed fellowships in neuro-ophthalmology and medical retina at Johns Hopkins' Wilmer Eye Institute. Dr. Sadda is the cofounder of the Pacific Retina Club, the largest retina organization on the West Coast. He also serves on the Editorial Boards of the prestigious publications Ophthalmology, Retina, and OSLI Retina and has served on multiple NIH study sections. He has served on the Executive committee of the Macula Society and on various committees for the Retina Society and the American Society of Retina Specialists. He is also the Section Head for Retina for the American Academy of Ophthalmology O.N.E. Network.

During his tenure at Doheny, Dr. Sadda has played an integral role in its growth and success, including the establishment of the Doheny Image Reading Center (DIRC) in 2003. Over the past nine years, the DIRC has grown to be recognized as one of the top ophthalmology reading centers in the world. His research prominence includes serving as principal investigator on numerous government and private grants and industry contracts. He and his lab have published more than 100 papers over the past five years alone. As a busy clinician, Dr. Sadda derives great satisfaction from caring for patients and has been named one of America's best doctors by Castle Connolly for three consecutive years (2012-2014).