About Us » FFB Funded Researchers
John R. Heckenlively, M.D.
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John R. Heckenlively, M.D., is Paul R. Lichter Professor of Ophthalmic Genetics and Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center. He also directs the University of Michigan Center for Retinal and Macular Degenerations. Dr. Heckenlively came to the Kellogg Eye Center in 2004 from his positions as the Chair of the Vision Genetic Center, and Director of the Visual Physiology Laboratory, Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA, where he held the Vernon O. Underwood Family Chair of Ophthalmology at UCLA. Dr. Heckenlively earned his medical degree from the University of Colorado and completed his residency at the University of Kentucky. He then completed two fellowships, first, in vitreoretinal diseases at the UCLA School of Medicine, Jules Stein Eye Institute; and second, in ophthalmic genetics at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Wilmer Ophthalmologic Institute and Moore Clinic. Dr. Heckenlively diagnoses and manages vitreoretinal diseases and conditions and conducts extensive research in hereditary retinal disorders, autoimmune retinopathies, ophthalmic genetics and electrodiagnostics. He has made significant contributions to the study of clinical retinal degenerations, ophthalmic genetics, retinal electrophysiology and research in mouse models of human eye disease. His primary aim is to establish a molecular diagnosis for all patients with inherited diseases, and to provide his patients with on-going research that will better elucidate their disease process. Dr. Heckenlively has published widely in the scientific literature, having written over 250 articles and chapters. He has also written five textbooks. He was the founding editor for the Documenta Ophthalmologica ISCEV electrophysiology journal and has served as a reviewer for many major ophthalmology journals, as well as for Genomics, Nature Genetics, the New England Journal of Medicine, and PNAS. The National Eye Institute has funded his mouse models research continuously for the past 20 years. In addition to NEI support, Dr. Heckenlively has received research support from Research to Prevent Blindness, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and the National Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation. Among his many awards and honors, Dr. Heckenlively has received the Distinguished Senior Scientist Award and the Clinician-Scientist Award from Research to Prevent Blindness (1995, 2000); and the RP International, Jules Stein Living Tribute Award, 1986. He was also named a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in London, 1988; and was elected to the American Ophthalmological Society in 1987. He was recently appointed Associate Editor of Eye, the official journal of the Royal college of Ophthalmologists. |
