Scientific Council

Dr. Ambati is Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Virginia and founder of the Center for Advanced Vision Science (CAVS). Dr. Ambati has been selected as the 2018 RPB David F. Weeks Award for Outstanding AMD Research (Weeks Award). He  is being honored for his research on the molecular bases of macular degeneration. His scientific work focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of AMD, determining the triggers of the angiogenic switch that converts this disease from an atrophic to a neovascular phenotype, and developing novel therapies to prevent and treat this blinding condition. He is the first ophthalmologist to win the Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award and a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research. 

He is Professor and Head of the Retina Service and Vice-President of Clinical Research at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, Irvine. He combines this activity with his work at the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. After completing his PhD in neuroscience at the California Institute of Technology, Dr. Kuppermann received his MD from the University of Miami. He completed his residency at the Los Angeles County / University of Southern California Medical Center and did his residency in Ophthalmology at the University of Southern California Doheny Eye Institute.

Samir Patel is co-founder, President and CEO of Ophthotech Corporation and is a member of its Board of Directors. Previously, Dr. Patel was co-founder of Eyetech Pharma, where he was Medical Director and a board member. Dr. Patel received his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School and trained in ophthalmology at the University of Chicago. He trained in surgery of the retina at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary of Harvard Medical School.

Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Milan (Italy) and Chairman of the University Eye Clinic of Milano Ospedale. He is currently President of the Società Oftalmologica Lombarda. In the past decade, he has been the Principal Investigator in more than 20 clinical trials. He trained at the Faculty of Medicine, Pavia State University and specialized in Ophthalmology at the Milan State University Faculty of Ophthalmology.

As a clinician and researcher I believe in what a Foundation can give to support research into eye diseases. The people of the BMF have an outstanding clinical and research background. When I was asked to become a member of the Scientific Council, I enthusiastically accepted this possibility of giving my support to the Foundation.