Page 7 - LGS Today Spring 2022

Employee Spotlight: LGS R & D Team
The Eye Bank Resolution that created the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank (now Lions Gift of Sight) explicitly stated that we were founded for both “cornea transplants” and “vi- tal research on eyes,” and our operation has been steeped in research for more than 60 years. Unlike many other U.S. eye banks, we actively recover research eye tissue, and more than one-half of the donations received by Lions Gift of Sight are distributed for research and medical education.
People, perhaps, tire of hearing us rave about our research and de- velopment efforts, but it is so hard not to be excited about all that is
being accomplished at Lions Gift of Sight. Led by Ching Yuan, Ph.D.,
with the active and invaluable participation of our medical director,
Joshua Hou, M.D., our intrepid research team has a three pronged mission: to provide eye tissue to researchers, to customize eye tissue for researchers, and to conduct in-house research that advances
the field of ophthalmology. The mission is carried out through the talents of Research Scientist Sung Lee and Research Fellow Pe- ter Bedard, as well as doctors Hou and Yuan.
The team is part of many investigative ef- forts and scientific studies here in the United States and in other countries. We are proud to have both a local and a global impact,.
Limbal Stem Cells Descemet’s Membrane
Transplant Technology, Nanothin DSAEK
Graft Processing, Fluorescence-Based
Biochemical Endothelium Evaluation,
COVID-19 Research, Graft Storage and De-
livery Optimization, Relaxing Hinges DMEK Graft Processing—each one of these investigations is a major research commitment, and all are being tackled by the Lions Research and Development Team, among the best in the world.
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ARVO
Lions Gift of Sight Research Team members Ching Yuan and Sung Lee, as well as Executive Director Sean Pop- poff, attended the annual meeting of ARVO (Association of Research in Vi- sion and Ophthalmology) in May. ARVO membership sits at nearly 11,000 peo- ple from more than 75 countries, and the annual meeting is a must-attend
for anyone involved in ophthalmology research.
ARVO is a chance to network with fel- low researchers, garner new research
clients, and absorb the infor- mation provided by keynote speakers, paper sessions, poster sessions, workshops, and courses. Lions Gift of Sight also staffed a booth in the exhibit hall, promoting the many research services our eye bank offers.
ARVO’s mission is to serve as a global catalyst for innovation,
workforce development and collabora- tion in the field of vision research. We
are proud to be a member.