HMS Faculty Note - D'Amore, Masland, Wiggs

To All Faculty:

Patricia D’Amore Appointed Director of Howe Laboratory

It is with a large dose of gratitude and pride in their accomplishments that I announce the planned transition of Richard Masland who will step down on July 1st as Director of the Howe Laboratory and Associate Chief of Ophthalmology Research, and the appointment of Patricia D’Amore as Director of the Howe Laboratory and Associate Chief of Basic and Translational Research at Mass. Eye and Ear. In addition, I have appointed Janey Wiggs the Vice Chair for Clinical Research, an HMS Ophthalmology-wide role, in addition to her continuing role as Ophthalmology’s Associate Chief for Clinical Research at Mass. Eye and Ear. In their new roles, Dick and Pat will continue as integral members of the department’s research leadership and scientific community.

I first want to extend my deepest thanks to Dick who joined Mass. Eye and Ear in 2009 as the Director of the Howe Laboratory. In this capacity, Dick partnered with me to lead the Howe Lab through a critical period of realignment and growth that is unmatched in its long and storied history. Over the last five years, Dick has made innumerable contributions to our department and to the research efforts of Mass. Eye and Ear Ophthalmology faculty. Happily, Dick will remain at his current 243 Charles Street office, and continue as a key member of research leadership. His plate remains full as he pursues his research with Tatjana and continues his scholarship, teaching, advising and grant activities.

Knowing that we needed a highly accomplished and gifted scientist, mentor and administrator to succeed Dick, I couldn’t be more pleased that Patricia D’Amore will be at the helm of the Howe Laboratory and serve as Associate Chief of Ophthalmology Basic and Translational Research. As you know, Pat has been the Director of Research at Schepens since November, 2012 and is the Charles L. Schepens Professor of Ophthalmology at HMS. She is also Ophthalmology Vice Chair of Basic Research and Co-director of the AMD Center of Excellence at HMS, and Senior Scientist and Ankeny Scholar of Retinal Molecular Biology at Schepens. All of these appointments and capacities will continue, going forward, while she folds in the new Howe and Associate Chief roles. Apparently, she is limitless in her energy, time and dedication to the important missions that drive us all.

By every measure, Pat is an invaluable asset to our department, bringing three decades of leadership and scientific accomplishment to her new role. Among her new responsibilities, Pat will work with me, research leadership and the investigators of the Howe Laboratory in the administrative oversight, grant and operational processes, and strategic recruitment and growth of the Howe Laboratory. She will continue to integrate Mass. Eye and Ear and Schepens activities, participate in the development and implementation of a strategic vision for the postdoc experience at Mass. Eye and Ear, and further develop the faculty mentoring program.

Appointed Director of Research at Schepens during a very critical juncture in our department’s history, Pat brought her knowledge and superb management skills to facilitate the successful integration of Mass. Eye and Ear and Schepens. As director, she continues to craft the Institute’s scientific policies and priorities, build collaborations between Harvard research groups and clinical areas, and bring her own vision to shaping the future of Schepens/Mass. Eye and Ear as the world’s leading research powerhouse in ophthalmology. She has received multiple recognitions for her scientific and academic contributions, most recently, the 2015 ARVO Proctor Medal – a high honor which Dick Masland was awarded in 2010. (It seems to be a job requirement!) Congratulations Pat!

Pat’s exceptional qualities as a standout mentor and role model, and her long-demonstrated passion and commitment to education, also will serve her well as she steps into her new role. She possesses a remarkable and salient ability to communicate technical and complex research to a variety of audiences, and strives to ensure her trainees have the requisite depth of knowledge and leadership capabilities to push the boundaries of future scientific advancements. More than 50 pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows have benefited from Pat’s extraordinary coaching. Many have gone on to become leading experts in the field: seven are full Professors. Not surprisingly, Pat was honored in 2006 with the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award and, in 2013, received the Everett Mendelsohn Excellence in Mentoring Award from Harvard University.

Please join me in thanking Dick for his efforts and in congratulating Pat and Janey. We are very fortunate to have them working with us.

Joan W. Miller, MD, FARVO
Henry Willard Williams Professor of Ophthalmology
Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School
Chief of Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital