Release Date: Sept. 12, 2006

Alward Honored As The Frederick C. Blodi Chair In Ophthalmology

Dr. Lee Alward	Dr. F. C. Blodi

Wallace Lee M. Alward, M.D., professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, has been named the Frederick C. Blodi Chair in Ophthalmology.

The chair is supported by an endowment established with gifts made through the UI Foundation by family, colleagues and friends of Frederick C. Blodi, M.D., as well as former residents and fellows who were taught by him. Blodi served as UI head of ophthalmology from 1967 to 1984 and helped educate nearly 120 residents and 170 fellows during his tenure.

Alward, a UI faculty member since 1987, is vice-chair of ophthalmology and visual sciences and director of the UI Glaucoma Service at UI Hospitals and Clinics. He is also a director of the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a nationally recognized expert in glaucoma. Alward co-holds 9 therapeutic and diagnostic patents related to glaucoma. Dr. Alward has authored or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications highlighted by the initial reports of three glaucoma-causing genes – myocilin, PITX2 and FOXC1. Besides molecular genetics he has a research interest in pigmentary glaucoma, normal tension glaucoma, gonioscopy, and glaucoma filtering surgery. He has authored two textbooks, one of which was listed as one of the 100 important ophthalmology books of the 20th century. (Thompson HS and Blanchard DL, Archives of Ophthalmology 119:761-763, 2001). His commitment to teaching is extensive and includes training tapes and notes, which are used to teach UI residents.

"Dr. Blodi was a dedicated scientist, teacher and humanist, whose career exemplifies the high ideals of medicine and medical education. Dr. Alward will help carry out his legacy and continue to make this department one of the best places in the world to learn the art and science of ophthalmology," said Keith Carter, M.D., UI head and professor of ophthalmology. "We're delighted that Dr. Alward has earned this important recognition.

A Canadian by birth, Dr. Alward grew up in Ohio and received his education at Kenyon College and The Ohio State University College of Medicine. After a surgical internship at the University of Pittsburgh he traveled to Alaska to fulfill a two- year commitment to the U.S. Public Health Service. Dr. Alward extended his stay in Alaska to six years; four with the Indian Health Service and two with the Arctic Investigations Laboratory of the Centers for Disease Control. While practicing general medicine in Eskimo villages, Dr. Alward became interested in diseases of the eye and elected to specialize in ophthalmology. He completed a residency in ophthalmology at the University of Louisville, where he also served as chief resident in ophthalmology. He additionally completed a fellowship in glaucoma at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine.

Among Dr. Alward’s publications, several have been recognized as exceptional:

• Stone EM, Fingert JH, Alward WLM, Nguyen TD, Polansky JR, Sunden SLF, Nishimura D, Clark AF, Nystuen A, Nichols BE, Mackey DA, Ritch R, Kalenak JW, Craven ER, Sheffield VC:  Identification of a gene that causes primary open angle glaucoma.  Science 275:668-670, 1997.
  • Awarded Lewis Rudin Award - New York Academy of Medicine for best glaucoma paper of 1997.
  • Listed as one off Top 100 Science stories of 1997 by Discover Magazine. 
• Carlson DW, Alward WLM, Barad JP, Zimmerman MB, Carney BL:  A randomized study of mitomycin augmentation in combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy.  Ophthalmology 104:719-724, 1997.
  • In a 2002 review of cataract/glaucoma papers this paper was judged to be the best in the literature (Ophthalmology 109: 2215-2224, 2002).
• Collaborative Normal-Tension Glaucoma Study Group.  Natural History of Normal-Tension Glaucoma.  Ophthalmology 108:247-253, 2001 (Principal Investigator, University of Iowa site).
  • Listed as one of the Top Ten Glaucoma Papers of 2001, International Glaucoma Review (voted on by world’s glaucoma societies)
• Fingert, J.H., Clark, A.F., Craig J.E., Alward W.L.M., Snibson, G.R., McLaughlin, M., Tuttle, L., Mackey, D.A., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M.: Evaluation of the Myocilin (MYOC) Glaucoma Gene in Monkey and Human Steroid-Induced Ocular Hypertension.  Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences 42:145-152, 2001.
  • Listed as one of the Top Ten Glaucoma Papers of 2001, International Glaucoma Review (voted on by world’s glaucoma societies)
• Drance S, Anderson DR, Schulzer M, and the Collaborative Normal-Tension Glaucoma Study Group.  Risk factors for progression of visual field abnormalities in normal-tension glaucoma.  American Journal of Ophthalmology 131:699-708, 2001 (Prinicipal Investigator, University of Iowa site)
  • Listed as one of the Top Ten Glaucoma Papers of 2001, International Glaucoma Review (voted on by world’s glaucoma societies)
• Alward WLM.  Color Atlas of Gonioscopy.  London:  Mosby-Yearbook Europe, 1994.
  • Listed as one of the 100 important ophthalmology books of the 20th century by the Archives of Ophthalmology 119:761-763, 2001.

more About Dr. Fred Blodi

More About Dr. Lee Alward