Images Magazine Spring 2013 - Bascom Palmer Eye Institute

experts with fellowship training in each of thesethree separate areas,” Harbour said.In his role as vice chairman for translationalresearch, Harbour not only brings his expertise tocare for patients with intraocular tumors, but adrive to connect research and clinical discoveriesin a practical way that improves knowledge andpatient care, known as translational medicine. Hislandmark discoveries revealing the genetic andmolecular mechanisms behind uveal melanoma,for example, will be studied in other cancerpatients to improve their outcomes as well. “Bill’sleadership will provide an innovative environmentthat fosters high impact, clinically-orientedresearch discoveries that can be rapidly translatedto the patient,” said Tse.“I’m thrilled that Dr. Harbour is here at BascomPalmer. He is a tremendous leader in this field,”said Karp, professor of ophthalmology. Patientswith complex presentations will benefit the mostfrom this new collaboration, Karp predicted. “It’seasy for us to consult, discuss and brainstormabout how best to treat our patients.”“Together we have great synergy,” Karpcontinued. “Our patient care is comprehensiveand second-to-none. But now we also havethe potential to rapidly improve patient careand outcomes through molecular research.”For example, Karp and her colleague AnatGalor, M.D., assistant professor of clinicalophthalmology at Bascom Palmer, arecollaborating with Harbour to developindividualized, molecularly- guided treatmentfor conjunctival tumors. “We are all very excitedabout the new advances in patient care that willcome from these studies,” Karp added.Although the trio has a history of importantresearch discoveries, the pace of new findings islikely to accelerate. Tse said, for example, “Weare also developing a unique, multi-disciplinaryenvironment in which patients will receivecompassionate, state-of-the-art care through theuse of personalized genomic medicine, advancedimaging and innovative treatments to maximizebenefits and minimize side effects.Harbour also comes to Bascom Palmerbecause of the unique opportunity to be on thecutting edge of new diagnostic and therapeuticinnovations. “When companies develop newimaging devices, new therapeutics or new lasers,they usually come to Bascom Palmer first toimplement them into patient care. So it’s anexciting place to be.”Ultra-high resolution optical coherencetomography (UHR-OCT) is a perfect example,Harbour said. The UHR-OCT, custom built byJay Wang, M.D., Ph.D. M.S., associate professorof ophthalmology and electrical and computerengineering at Bascom Palmer, delivers imageswith resolution of about two microns. “Dr. Karppioneered its use for ocular surface tumors andthis will likely change the way these tumorsare evaluated.”Karp said the UHR-OCT device permits a noninvasive“optical biopsy” of a tumor.” This hasimproved the way we manage ocular surfacetumors. In addition to aiding diagnosis, I canmake sure the cancer is completely eradicatedbefore we stop treatment.” With the pace ofadvances in patient care accelerating throughthis new synergistic mixture of clinical expertiseand molecular research, managing our eye tumorpatients is likely to change dramatically andBascom Palmer will be on the cutting edgeof this exciting time.To schedule anappointment to see oneof our ocular oncologyspecialists, call888-845-0002or visitbascompalmer.org25