Venkat N. Reddy, 1922–2018, in memoriam

TY - JOUR

T1 - Venkat N. Reddy, 1922–2018, in memoriam

AU - Giblin, Frank J.

AU - Kador, Peter F.

N1 - Funding Information: Early on in his career, Dr. Reddy collaborated closely with Dr. Kinsey to conduct pioneering studies on the chemistry of aqueous humor. Many of the transport mechanisms that contribute to aqueous humor formation were elucidated during this collaboration. A major part of Dr. Reddy's research effort was the careful, detailed analysis of steady state levels of free amino acids, electrolytes and related compounds in the aqueous humor, coupled with the elucidation of transport mechanisms for these molecules into the various compartments of the eye. Much of this work was accomplished by injecting radiolabeled compounds into the blood of experimental animals and then comparing the concentrations present in both the anterior and posterior aqueous chamber compartments over time. He found that the ciliary processes are highly selective in regulating the entry of substances from the blood into the aqueous humor (blood aqueous barrier). He made a thorough study of the transport of amino acids into the aqueous using radiolabeled non-metabolizable amino acid analogs, and found that separate carrier systems were present in the ciliary process for transporting acidic, basic and neutral amino acids. Compared to their blood levels, some of these amino acids were concentrated up to 20-fold in the aqueous. This work was a major contribution to our understanding of lens physiology, and was recognized with the prestigious Friedenwald Award in Ophthalmology being awarded to Dr. Reddy in 1979. In addition to his investigation of aqueous humor dynamics, Dr. Reddy is also well known for his extensive studies on the degradation and synthesis of reduced glutathione, the major antioxidant compound present in the lens. His numerous research accomplishments spanned both the lens and glaucoma fields. His research efforts were continuously supported by the National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for more than four decades, and included a coveted ten year MERIT Award received in 1989. Dr. Reddy published over 180 peer-reviewed articles during his career and received many research accolades including the Alcon Foundation Research Award (1984), Michigan Scientist of the Year Award (1991), and Oakland University Research Excellence Award (1993). Dr. Reddy's curriculum vitae is at https://sites.google.com/oakland.edu/reddy-cv-2018 . Funding Information: Dr. Reddy's contributions to the national lens and cataract community are also evident through his 40-year leadership of the National Foundation for Eye Research. The NFER had been organized and incorporated in 1949 by Dr. Kinsey, while he was a faculty member at the Howe Laboratory of the Harvard Medical School, along with Al Hirshberg, a sports writer for the Boston Globe and J.M. Ulmer, a Cleveland attorney. Its aim was to support research on blinding eye diseases. The Foundation established a Medical Review Board composed of the foremost eye researchers in the nation which included Drs. Alan C. Woods of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Francis Adler, Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania, Edwin B. Dunphy, Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, and Jonas Friedenwald of the Wilmer Institute, Johns Hopkins University, with Dr. Kinsey serving as permanent Board Chairman. With the NFER's move to Oakland University in 1972, both Mr. Hirshberg and Mr. Ulmer stepped down as trustees and Dr. Reddy was appointed by Dr. Kinsey as a trustee of the Foundation. Upon the death of Dr. Kinsey in 1978, Dr. Reddy assumed the role of President and established a new Board of Trustees with Dr. Jin H. Kinoshita of the NEI as the secretary and second officer, and Dr. Abraham Spector of Columbia University and Mr. Thomas V. LoCicero Sr., J. D of St. Clair Shores, Michigan serving as trustees. During this period the NFER assisted the Cooperative Cataract Research Group (CCRG), and in 1984 the Foundation redefined its mission to support cataract research only. It became more active in generating funds and upon Dr. Kinoshita's retirement from the NEI, an endowment fund for the Kinoshita Lectureship was established to honor a senior cataract/lens researcher at the biennial CCRG meeting with a $15000 honorarium. In 1997, Dr. Kinoshita stepped down as the permanent second officer of the Foundation and Dr. Peter Kador was appointed as his replacement, and this was followed with even greater support for the lens community. When industrial financial support was withdrawn for an annual Cataract Research Award presented to a junior cataract/lens researcher at the annual ARVO Lens Section Business Meeting, the Foundation stepped in, and since 1999 it has annually presented this award along with a $2500 honorarium. Moreover, with industrial sponsorship funds decreasing, the Foundation has increased its financial support for the biennial CCRG Meeting so that this meeting (now called the International Conference of the Lens) can continue. This increase in monetary support for the lens community would not have been possible without Dr. Reddy's successful investment of Foundation funds.

PY - 2019/3

Y1 - 2019/3

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058494261&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85058494261&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.exer.2018.12.002

DO - 10.1016/j.exer.2018.12.002

M3 - Letter

AN - SCOPUS:85058494261

SN - 0014-4835

VL - 180

SP - 75

EP - 76

JO - Experimental Eye Research

JF - Experimental Eye Research

ER -