As Doheny Eye Institute’s chief scientific officer (CSO) and Stephen J. Ryan – Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation endowed presidential chair, Deborah Fer-rington, PhD, applies more than 20 years of experience in academic research and leadership to building a better future for vision research.
Among her many accomplishments, Ferrington is most recognized for groundbreaking research on age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness among the elderly. She is relentless in her pursuit of emerging strategies and research beyond current treatment options to better tackle AMD, a disease that affects more than 290 million individuals worldwide. Ferrington was among the first scientists to identify defects in the mitochondria, which makes the energy required for cells to function, as an early pathological event in AMD. She has provided a wealth of knowledge and new approaches to AMD that are crucial to providing a brighter future for those who will be affected by this disease. This past fall, Ferrington co-authored a paper published in the current issue of Free Radical Biology and Medicine that examined the effect of the Y402H polymorphism of Complement Factor H (CFH, rs1061170) and cigarette smoke, predominant genetic and environmental risk factors associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Ferrington works year-round to help Doheny secure much-needed funding for its life-changing research. Through speaking opportunities at local organizations – like the Rotary Club — and hosting events to connect with supporters, she has assisted in fostering relationships with Doheny donors who are key to expanding research opportunities for the organization’s scientists.
