On November 7, C. Stephen Foster, MD, alumnus and Professor of Ophthalmology, Part-time was recognized for his lifetime contributions to the field of ophthalmology with the virtual unveiling of his official portrait at Mass Eye and Ear.
Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Foster pioneered the use of a range of immunomodulatory drugs for the treatment of ocular inflammatory disease and advocated achieving remission of ocular inflammation by avoiding dependency on corticosteroids. He also created what would become the Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Service at Mass Eye and Ear, which he started at the request of Dr. Claes Dohlman.
Dr. Foster had a passion for teaching. He initiated an Ocular Immunology Fellowship at Mass Eye and Ear, and trained ocular immunologists for several decades, helping to create a generation of leaders in the field. He also revamped the Harvard Ophthalmology Residency Program, instituting annual classes of eight trainees starting each July, a system that remains in place today.
Dr. Foster's most recent contribution is endowing the C. Stephen and Frances Foster Lecture in Ocular Immunology at Mass Eye and Ear in perpetuity, which began in 2019. We look forward to hosting the next lecture in the spring of 2021.
The portrait is a gift from The Foster Ocular Immunology Society, a group of Dr. Foster's former fellows dedicated to advancing our understanding of ocular inflammation and immunology through research, clinical study, and education.
