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In the spring of 2021 — almost 60 years tothe day after Sandy Greenberg awoke in aDetroit hospital to total darkness — he andhis wife Sue saw the establishment of TheSanford and Susan Greenberg Center toEnd Blindness at the Wilmer Eye Institute.The Greenberg Center’s mission isas bold as the name would suggest:to end blindness, “permanently, andfor everyone,” says Greenberg.PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFFAfter losing his sight, Greenberg persevered,perhaps as few would or could. Withearly help from his college roommate(the soon-to-be-famous singer ArtGarfunkel) reading him his textbooksaloud, Greenberg not only returned toColumbia and graduated Phi Beta Kappa,he went on to achieve an impressive stringof academic accomplishments: a Ph.D.from Harvard, an M.B.A. from Columbia,a stint at Oxford University as a MarshallScholar, and law school at Harvard.Over the next four decades, Greenbergcharted an equally impressive career. Heinvented a device to help vision-impairedpeople listen to recorded speech, startedseveral companies to provide services for theblind and served as a White House Fellow inthe Johnson Administration. He also chairedthe federal government’s Rural HealthcareCorporation and was a member of theNational Science Board. He was a trusteeof The Johns Hopkins University from 1994to 2011. He currently chairs the Board ofGovernors of the Wilmer Eye Institute.“I consider being chairman of Wilmer’sBoard of Governors one of the greatprivileges of my life and one of my mostsignificant learning experiences,” he says.“Strategizing, particularly for the longterm, has been a thoroughly enjoyableexperience — especially working with Dr.Peter McDonnell and the members of theBoard of Governors. This work is consistentwith the promise I made to God in 1961— that I would do everything I could toend blindness for everyone for evermore.”Opposite page:Sanford Greenbergand Art Garfunkelat their alma materColumbia UniversityVISION FOR THE FUTUREGreenberg’s promise to end blindnesswas shaped by two seminal figures ofAmerican history: Jonas Salk and PresidentJohn F. Kennedy. Greenberg credits apersonal meeting with Salk, creator ofthe polio vaccine, as inspiration for theCenter: Rather than obtaining funds for thepurchase of iron lungs for victims duringthe polio epidemic, Salk realized that thefocus should be on eliminating the disease.Salk, he says, encouraged him to focus onthe big picture of ending blindness. “‘Justend it,’ he told me,” Greenberg recalls.A second important influence, Greenbergsays, was President John F. Kennedy,whose eyebrow-raising challenge to puta man on the moon within a decadecame just months after Greenberg’sown oath to end blindness.THE PRIZE“It wasn’t until 2012, however, that I beganto feel that the science had begun to catchup with my ambitions to end blindness,”says Greenberg. He points to the adventof new technologies and techniques suchas artificial retinas that interface with thebrain allowing people to see again, novelTHE FUTURE IS HERE7

nanoscale drugs, the gene editing toolCRISPR, and regenerative medicine. All havethe potential to slow, restore or even curevision loss in myriad ways — and Wilmerresearchers are working on all of them.It was in that year, 2012, that Greenberg andhis wife announced to the Wilmer Board ofGovernors the launch of the End BlindnessCampaign. In December 2020, they awardedthe Greenberg Prize, bestowing 3 millionto be shared by 13 leading researchers inophthalmology from across the globe.“I’m proud to say we are wellon our way to meeting our goal.”SANFORD GREENBERGTHE NEXT STEPThe Greenberg Center’s goal is to ultimatelydeploy an endowment of 100 million. TheGreenbergs, their friends, and supportersof Wilmer have placed a down paymentof energy and resources toward thatconsiderable target and are leading a campaignto raise the balance from others who sharewith them a commitment to their objective.“I’m proud to say we are well on our wayto meeting our goal,” Greenberg adds.In planning the Center, Greenbergwanted to inspire promising early-careerresearchers who have an abundanceof high-risk, high-reward ideas but lackthe funding to pursue those ideas.The Greenberg Center expects to dedicatefour Rising Professorships in the coming year,and many more will follow as the Centergrows. These professorships are set aside8W I L M E R E Y E I N S T I T U T E FA L L 2 0 2 1for up-and-coming researchers — assistantprofessors whose work is focused on endingone or more causes of blindness — withseed funding for up to seven years eachto get their careers and their potentiallytransformative research off to a flying start.That sort of unrestricted support, comingat such a juncture in a young researcher’scareer, is critical, says Peter J. McDonnell,M.D., director of the Wilmer EyeInstitute. The scramble for funding is socompetitive in fact, that the average ageat which a scientist receives his or herall-important R01 initial grant from theNational Institutes of Health is 44.“If you’re a young researcher and you’recompeting with established, often veryfamous senior people who have verylarge research teams, it’s very challenging,”McDonnell says. “Sandy and Sue’s effortsmean that these brilliant young scientistswill get up to speed at an age closer to30, than 50. One generous supporterof Wilmer has coined the term ‘RisingProfessorships’ for these endowments— reflecting the fact that the recipientsof this support are the rising futuresuperstars of their scientific fields.”In addition to providing direct fundingto those researchers, the GreenbergCenter will provide mentorship and grantwriting resources to help young scientistsapply for — and win — those key NIHgrants much earlier in their careers.“It’s an unwritten rule in research that akey milestone is securing that first R01grant from NIH. But the climb is steep,”says Laura Ensign, Ph.D., the Marcella E.Woll Professor of Ophthalmology and

Jan McDonnell,Wilmer DirectorPeter J. McDonnell,Wilmer Board ofGovernors’ ChairSanford Greenberg,Sue Greenberg andDean of the MedicalFaculty/CEO of JohnsHopkins MedicinePaul B. Rothmanvice chair for research at Wilmer, whowill help to mentor early career facultymembers through the Greenberg Center.Even the most promising researchers lackthe infrastructure — the lab equipmentand the staff — but also the preliminarydata needed to bolster their NIHapplications, notes Ensign, a biomedicalengineer who herself has pioneeredseveral promising nanomedicines thathave reached startup stage. The RisingProfessorships will help close both gaps.WILMER: THE FUTURE IS HEREGreenberg believes the state of scientificknowledge today is up to the task of endingblindness — and that, as the leader invision research in the United States andthe world, Wilmer Eye Institute is the onlylogical choice for the establishment of theSanford and Susan Greenberg Center toEnd Blindness. “It’s within reach,” addsSandy Greenberg. “In the GreenbergCenter, we’ve created the world’s onlyfacility that is devoted solely to endingblindness for everyone and for evermore.”McDonnell traces the model for theGreenberg Center to the very beginningof the Wilmer Eye Institute, when Dr.William Holland Wilmer and his patientAida Breckinridge, a philanthropist whosevision Wilmer had saved, raised the originalendowment to get the Institute off theground. Their “tripartite mission” (integratingpatient care, teaching and research underone roof) drives the Institute to thisday. Those founding principles foresawthe symbiotic relationship betweengroundbreaking research to both understandand treat blindness, the mentoring ofnew generations of specialists and theuncompromising patient care that remainthe hallmarks of Wilmer’s global reputation.Precedents exist for Wilmer facultyeliminating causes of blindness, notesMcDonnell. About 40 years ago, Al Sommerjoined the Wilmer faculty determined totarget trachoma, then the world’s mostcommon cause of corneal blindness (with8 million or so blind worldwide). Thanks tothe efforts of a team of ophthalmologistsand epidemiologists and the development ofsuccessful strategies in which entire areas ofa country receive medication simultaneously,Sommer saw his dream realized. The WorldHealth Organization has certified that mostcountries afflicted with this disease in the1980s are today completely disease-free,with the remaining countries well on theirway to total elimination of trachoma.“Ending blindness. Those of us at Wilmercan imagine no more noble goal to whichto dedicate our professional lives,”McDonnell says. THE FUTURE IS HERE9

A Center forGenetic Eye DiseasesBy Jessica WilsonFrom left to right:Jefferson Doyle,Christy Smith andMandeep Singh10W I L M E R E Y E I N S T I T U T E FA L L 2 0 2 1

When Jefferson Doyle, M.D., Ph.D., returned to the Wilmer Eye Institutein the summer of 2018 to begin his year as assistant chief of service, hehad an idea in mind to discuss with Wilmer Director Peter J. McDonnell, M.D.A pediatric ophthalmologist whose research focuses on genetic diseases,Doyle wanted to create a pediatric ophthalmology clinic dedicated to geneticeye diseases. McDonnell encouraged Doyle to think bigger, which inspired him toenvision a genetic eye disease center — a place to centralize and coordinatecare for all patients with genetic diseases affecting the eye. He outlined twocentral goals for the center: to make it easier to refer patients to the correctsubspecialists within Wilmer and at Johns Hopkins in general, and to expeditegenetic testing and genetic counseling for these patients.Doyle approached Mandeep Singh, M.D.,Ph.D., with the idea. A retina specialistwhose research focuses on stem cellsand genetic retinal diseases, Singh wasintrigued. “Flashback to just five yearsago, there weren’t any available genetherapies — and very few clinicaltrials were happening,” says Singh. But2017 marked “a gateway moment inophthalmology,” he explains, when theU.S. Food and Drug Administrationapproved the first gene therapy for aform of inherited retinal dystrophy thatis caused by mutations in the RPE65gene. Called Luxturna, this gene therapyincreased the relevance, and urgency, ofknowing the specific genetic mutationimplicated in a genetic eye condition.“Jef and I both recognized that duringour careers, gene testing and genetherapy were going to become hugelyimportant — that it was the futureof high-quality eye care,” says Singh.They both also recognized that Wilmerwas uniquely situated for a geneticeye disease center. “There are veryfew places in the country that havea truly exceptional ophthalmologydepartment and a truly exceptionalgenetics department,” says Doyle.“Wilmer had all the pieces in place:the different areas of expertise, theproximity to the Department of GeneticMedicine, and an Institute that wascommitted to innovation and excellencein ophthalmic treatment,” says Singh. “Tobring all those pieces together we hadto centralize this into a genetic center.”The two launched the Wilmer EyeInstitute Genetic Eye Disease (GEDi)Center in early 2020. While they areco-directors of the GEDi Center, theyTHE FUTURE IS HERE11

are both quick to point out it is not atwo-man band. “We have centralized,multidisciplinary eye care across allWilmer subspecialties,” says Singh.about their medical and family historyand to help to figure out what is themost appropriate test for them. Andthen I talk them through what theimplications of that test would be interms of their health and the health ofother family members,” says Smith.The GEDi Center has a website[hopkinsmedicine.org/wilmer/services/gedi] with one contact number and oneOne family she has worked closely withemail address, so patients and referringis the Morgans. Emily Morgan met herphysicians do not need to spend timehusband, Dirk, playing blind hockey —calling around for a specialist. Thecontact information leads them to GEDi “ice hockey, but the puck is metal andpatient coordinator Alie Collins, who can has bells inside of it. And everybodydirect patients and referring physicians to is blind,” she explains. Both she andher husband have Stargardt disease,a doctor from a “go-to” list of contactsan inherited disorder of the retina.in Wilmer’s different subspecialtiesand in other Hopkins departments.Stargardt causes deterioration of thelight-sensitive cells in the macula whereIn addition to coordination of care,fine focusing occurs. The result is the lossa central pillar of the GEDi Centerof central vision, although the severity ofis the genetic counseling service. Inthe disease has a wide spectrum. Emilyher position as the GEDi’s primarycan see color, read with magnificationgenetic counselor, Christy Smith,and “get around really well,” while herfrom the Johns Hopkins Departmenthusband’s vision is “basically shadowsof Genetic Medicine, facilitates andand motion.”interprets genetic testing for patients.“My role as a genetic counselor is notjust to order a test. It’s to meet withthe family, collect more informationA question that has vexed them is whythe course of their diseases has takentwo very different paths. This question“Jef and I both recognized that during ourcareers, gene testing and gene therapy weregoing to become hugely important — thatit was the future of high-quality eye care.”— MANDEEP SINGH12W I L M E R E Y E I N S T I T U T E FA L L 2 0 2 1

became more important when shebecame pregnant with their first child.Both Emily and Dirk had been clinicallydiagnosed, but neither had received aconfirmation of the Stargardt diseasediagnosis from genetic testing. WhenEmily saw Singh, he referred her to Smithfor genetic testing. Smith recommendedboth Emily and Dirk be tested. Whenthe results came back, they learned thatthey both do have Stargardt disease,which means their son — and all futurechildren — will have the disease.They also learned another key pieceof information. “We didn’t realizethere were different mutations thatcaused Stargardt,” she says. Dirkturns out to have “two of the rarestmutations ever,” she says. Thisknowledge has provided them peaceof mind. “Now he’s able to understandwhy his vision is different from otherpeople’s Stargardt,” says Emily.Emily gave birth to her son, Killian, inMarch of 2021. While she and Dirkare patients of Singh, Killian will soonbecome a patient of Doyle. Whenhe is old enough, they will have himtested. Knowing which mutationshe has will help them plan for thefuture — plans that could range fromgetting the appropriate resourcesonce he starts school to possiblyteaching him Braille. And knowledgeof their specific mutations will be ofparamount importance to qualify forany clinical trials that could arise fortherapies targeting those mutations.Since the GEDi Center launched, theteam has been able to streamline theprocess of providing genetic diagnosesto patients and families like the Morgans.“Singh and Doyle have done a stellarjob addressing this unmet need,” saysMcDonnell, “as referrals of patientswith known or suspected geneticeye problems have skyrocketedsince they created GEDi.”“We’ve successfully conducted genetictesting on hundreds of patients,” saysSingh. Doyle adds that they have reducedthe wait time by more than a year to seea genetic counselor, undergo testing andreceive a final diagnosis. “We have somany more patients who have completedthis diagnostic journey because of thecapacity that we have built up. It’sreally transformative,” says Singh. THE FUTURE IS HERE13

No Longer in the DarkBy Amy EntwisleOleksandrPopruzhenko wavingthe Ukrainian flagwhile crossing thefinish line of the 43rdU.S. Marine CorpsMarathon, Oct. 201814W I L M E R E Y E I N S T I T U T E FA L L 2 0 2 1

April 9, 2015, was a sunny day in Kyiv, Ukraine. Oleksandr Popruzhenko,a 20-year-old senior lieutenant in the Ukrainian army, was training agroup of 15 soldiers on the proper way to lob a grenade when a de-pinnedgrenade fell short and rolled into a nearby trench. Popruzhenko dove for thegrenade, but before he could throw it, the grenade exploded in his hands.The force threw Popruzhenko backward.He couldn’t see, and for a moment, hewondered if he was dead. But the painconvinced him he was still alive. Hundredsof grenade fragments had lodged underhis skin and embedded in the musclesof his face, arms and legs — basically,anywhere that wasn’t protected byhis bulletproof vest and helmet.At a military hospital in Odessa, doctorswere able to remove most of theforeign bodies from his eyes, repair thecorneal perforations and flatten thedetached retina in his right eye. Butthey couldn’t restore his vision. Theleft eye was beyond repair, they toldhim, and his only chance of regainingany vision in his right eye was to havea highly specialized corneal transplantthat was not available in Ukraine.Over the next couple of years,Popruzhenko reminded himself —frequently — that he was lucky to bealive. But in Ukraine, there weren’t manyresources to support a young man whocouldn’t see, and it became increasinglydifficult to stave off depression.Then, in June 2017, Popruzhenko metVlasta Troyanovskaya, and the two fell inlove. “Vlasta told me that I needed to dosomething,” Popruzhenko says. “She saidthat I needed to move.” Troyanovskayaread about the U.S. Marine CorpsMarathon, and with her encouragement,Popruzhenko began running. He qualifiedfor a spot in the marathon reservedfor wounded warriors. In July 2018, heand Troyanovskaya were married, andin October she accompanied him toWashington, D.C., for the marathon.ANSWERING A CALL FOR HELPThe couple stayed in the Maryland homeof Ilona Doerfler. Born in Kyiv, she hadcome to the United States 29 years agoand had long participated in fundraisingefforts and events to support theUkrainian community. She was amongthose watching as Popruzhenko crossedthe finish line. By the time the couplereturned to Ukraine, Doerfler hadbegun formulating a plan to help him.She reached out to Wilmer Eye Institute,where her daughter had been treatedin 2000 to correct a condition knownas lazy eye. Describing Popruzhenko’splight, Doerfler asked Wilmer DirectorPeter J. McDonnell, M.D., whetherthe renowned institute could helpPopruzhenko. The reply came quickly:He would need to be evaluated atWilmer, but indeed there was hope.THE FUTURE IS HERE15

“One of the amazing things about working hereat Wilmer and Johns Hopkins is that we areable to put together teams like this and doprocedures that can only be done in a handfulof places across the world.” — ADAM WENICKWith her letter, Doerfler set in motiona chain of events that would bringPopruzhenko to Wilmer for surgerythat might allow him to see again.The complex operation would beperformed by Wilmer corneal surgeonEsen Akpek, M.D., the Bendann FamilyProfessor of Ophthalmology, and retinalsurgeon Adam Wenick, M.D., Ph.D.THROUGH COLLABORATION, HOPEWilmer team from viewing the back ofthe eye by ultrasound before surgery.In the operating room, Akpek firstput a temporary artificial cornea onPopruzhenko to allow the team to viewthe eye’s posterior structures — theoptic

Three Wilmer faculty members have garnered a coveted spot on The Ophthalmologist's 2021 Power List, an annual celebration of "the inspirational minds in ophthalmology," which this year focused exclusively on women. Adrienne Scott, M.D., chief, Wilmer Eye Institute - Bel Air, was honored for being "an