Division of Ophthalmic Epidemiology
Link to Dr. Lynch's Publications
The Division was founded in 2014 under the direction of Anne Lynch MD, MSPH who also holds a secondary appointment in the Colorado School of Public Health. Dr. Lynch has created research programs in many areas including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), retinal detachment, and glaucoma. Her team includes an epidemiologist, Jennifer Patnaik PhD, a statistician, Brandie Wagner PhD, and several professional research assistants.
Her primary research interest is the role of inflammation in AMD. In 2014, an AMD registry was started in the Division to determine risk factors and to identify biomarkers for AMD. Over 1300 patients have been recruited into the registry. Epidemiological data is linked with biospecimens and imaging data on all patients in the registry. Several publications on the complement system, proteomics, inflammation and the epidemiology of AMD have resulted from this AMD registry. In addition, the research has been presented at many international and national meetings.
Link to Dr. Patnaik's Publications
AMD research efforts are supported by Naresh Mandava MD, Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, Alan Palestine MD, and Marc Mathias MD. Funding for AMD studies has come from the Macula Society, a Challenge Grant to the Department of Ophthalmology from Research to Prevent Blindness, the Frederic C. Hamilton Macular Degeneration Center, and the Sue Anschutz Rogers Research Fund.
In addition to her interest in AMD, Dr. Lynch also has developed a successful Colorado Retinopathy of Prematurity (CO-ROP) registry with currently over 2500 preterm infants screened for ROP included in the registry. Databases in cataract outcomes, glaucoma, and outcomes from retina surgery have also been developed in the Division. Many publications have resulted from research on these databases.
Link to Dr. Wagner's Publications
The Division has a strong mentoring program and supports research by faculty, fellows, residents, graduate students, and medical students. To date the research has been presented at over 150 national or local ophthalmology meetings with over 50 manuscripts published in peer reviewed journals. Importantly, Dr. Lynch is encouraging a strong group of mentees to pursue research in Ophthalmology.
Anne Lynch MD, MSPH
Professor and Director
Division of Ophthalmic Epidemiology
Jennifer Patnaik PhD
Epidemiologist
Statistician