(PRESS RELEASE) In 2022, Cleveland Eye Bank Foundation developed the Susan V. Janssen Medical Student Scholarship in memory of the past Executive Director of the Cleveland Eye Bank. We are pleased to announce five awards in 2025 to medical students based on their research. This scholarship will provide local medical students dedicated to pursuing Ophthalmology, support for conducting eye research projects within their medical school’s Department of Ophthalmology. Eligible medical students enrolled at Case Western Reserve University and Lerner School of Medicine applied for this award.
(top: left to right) Nadia Abbass, Nitesh Mohan, Poojah Nambiar (bottom: left to right) Melody Zhou, David Zhang
Scholarship Winners
- Nadia Abbass
Class of 2026 – Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Title of Eye Research: Trends and Disparities in the Incidence and Prevalence of Inherited Retinal Diseases in the United States
- Nitesh Mohan
Class of 2026 – Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Title of Eye Research: Identifying Changes on OCT to Predict Visual Acuity Response to Treatment in Acute Posterior Multifocal Placoid Pigment Epitheliopathy (APMPPE) and Syphilis
- Poojah Nambiar
Class of 2028 – Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Title of Eye Research: Exploring the Impact of Deep Brain Stimulation on Fusional and Blur-Driven Vergence in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
- Melody Zhou
Class of 2027 – Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Title of Eye Research: Association of the Charlson Comorbidity Index with Glaucoma Prevalence and Disease Severity
- David Zhang
Class of 2027 – Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Title of Eye Research: Potential Disease Modifying Effect of Netarsudil on TGFβ2 Signaling in Trabecular Meshwork Endothelial Cells
We are excited to support vision research for these young, aspiring physicians and honor the legacy of Susan Janssen.
