UB Professor Elected as President of International Society for Eye Research

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Steven Fliesler of Buffalo, professor and vice chair in the University at Buffalo Department of Ophthalmology, has been elected president of the International Society for Eye Research (ISER).

Fliesler's term will include one year as president-elect, two years as active president and a year as immediate past president, during which he will mentor the next president-elect. As ISER president, Fliesler is responsible for guiding the general direction of the organization's business and overseeing its biennial meetings, with the next to be held in Montreal in July 2010.

In addition, Fliesler says his goals include expanding the society's membership and promoting research and the ability of young investigators to pursue their research and attend society meetings, as well as promoting international collaboration in eye and vision research and the exchange of scientific ideas and information.

"It's a very validating experience to have that kind of recognition from one's peers," Fliesler said. "Whenever I act in an official capacity on behalf of the organization, the byline of the university is carried with me, so I think it elevates the international stature of the university to have a faculty member in this kind of position."

Fliesler also serves as the director of research for the Ira G. Ross Eye Institute Vision Research Center, a laboratory primarily housed in the Buffalo VA Medical Center. He holds a concurrent staff position as a health systems specialist, as well as acting associate chief of staff for research and development in the VA Western New York Healthcare System. In addition, he serves as the retina and choroid section editor and "Focus on Molecules" feature editor of Experimental Eye Research, the flagship journal of ISER.

ISER was founded in 1968 to establish an international organization to support eye and vision research. The organization is comprised of vision research scientists from more than 34 countries, and has national chapters in China, Japan, Israel and Russia. For more information on the society, visit their Web site, http://www.iser.org.