Wasserman Awardee named; Werthheimer is trustee

Lexington, KY-Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) selected Jayakrishna Ambati, MD, for the 2006 Lew R. Wasserman Award for research in age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

"The grant money from this award will be used to hire additional staff, as well as to further my research in macular degeneration," said Dr. Ambati, associate professor and vice chairman, department of ophthalmology and visual sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington.

The award is given annually to scientists and physicians conducting ophthalmic research at major medical institutions. Award winners receive a $55,000 grant for their institution.

Wertheimer is currently a consultant to NBC Universal, a subsidiary of the General Electric Co. Earlier in his career, he was associated with RPB's founder Jules Stein, MD, when Wertheimer joined Music Corp. of America in 1972. He later rose to executive vice president, director, and member of the executive committee.