Dr Julia Talajic: a first in the province of Quebec
Julia Talajic, MD, FRCSC, VHRN member, performed the first successful corneal transplants limited to the selective replacement of the corneal endothelium and its basement membrane, the Descemet’s membrane (Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty, DMEK). These surgeries, undertaken at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, are a first in Québec. This complex procedure is a major breakthrough for thousands of people in Quebec suffering from Fuchs dystrophy or other diseases affecting the endothelial cells of the cornea. More than 55,000 corneal transplants are performed annually in Canada and the United States. Eventually, nearly half of these surgeries will be affected by this new technique that has a very high success rate. Dr. Talajic acquired this expertise during a fellowship at Devers Eye Institute, Portland, Oregon, with the team of Dr. Mark Terry, leader in the field. She will pursue a master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, which will allow her to optimize the implementation of this new technique.
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Eleven VHRN student members were granted a FRQS scholarship
Eleven VHRN student members received a 2015-2016 FRQS master or PhD training scholarships.
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VHRN Initiation to Vision Student Research laureats
The VHRN granted 18 Initiation to Vision Student Research awards.
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