Prof. José Cunha-Vaz University of Coimbra, Portugal

José Cunha-Vaz, M.D., Ph.D. is Emeritus Professor of Ophthalmology of the University of Coimbra, Portugal, and President of the Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image (AIBILI), a not-for-profit Clinical Research Organization. He is now Chief Editor of Ophthalmic Research, Coordinator of the Diabetic Retinopathy and Retinal... read moreVascular Diseases Section of the European Vision Institute Clinical Research Network (EVICR.net).
He became Chair and Director of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Coimbra Hospital in 1972. In 1979 Dr. Cunha-Vaz moved to the United States to become a full-time Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Retina Service at the University of Illinois at Chicago until his final return in 1986 to Portugal. He returned to his original position, Professor of Ophthalmology and Head of Department of Ophthalmology of the University of Coimbra (1972-2008) creating in 1994 the Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image (AIBILI) a not-for-profit clinical research centre, the coordinating centre of EVICR.net.
Dr. Cunha-Vaz’s work has included laboratory and clinical research in retina and intraocular fluids with special emphasis on blood-retinal barriers and diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Cunha-Vaz has authored and co-authored over 500 peer-reviewed papers and books. He was elected member of Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis in 1994. He is a founding member of the European Academy of Ophthalmology (2004). He has received many Prizes and Award Lectures.