Assistant Professor

Community Partner
Retina Consultants of Alabama

Christine A. Curcio, Ph.D., professor of ophthalmology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is the recipient of the 2014 Ludwig von Sallmann Prize, awarded to an individual for significant contributions to vision research and ophthalmology.

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Professor Christine A. Curcio, Ph.D., was named as the inaugural holder of the of the White-McKee Endowed Professorship in Ophthalmology by the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama in April 2018.

Christine A. Curcio, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the UAB School of Medicine, has been named to the Top 100 Women in Ophthalmology Power List 2021.

Christine A. Curcio, Ph.D., the White-McKee Endowed Professor in Ophthalmology, spoke at a Congressional Briefing entitled Understanding the "Dry" Form of AMD to Develop Effective Treatments on September 27, 2018. 

Christine A. Curcio, Ph.D., was recently invited to present at the 18th Annual Angiogenesis Meeting at Bascom Palmer. This year’s program, Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration 2021, was attended virtually by 948 retina specialists, general ophthalmologists, researchers, and industry representative in 52 countries. Presenters are considered global experts in the clinical practice of retina and world-class researchers in the field of retinal degenerations.

Professor Emeritus; Director of the AMD Histopathology Lab

Areas of Interest
aging and age-related macular degeneration — pathogenesis, image validation, and genomics 

Christine A. Curcio, PhD, professor in the UAB Heersink School of Medicine’s Department of Ophthalmology, and her laboratory are featured in this month’s issue of EyeNet, a leading journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Cynthia Owsley, Ph.D., MSPHCynthia Owsley, Ph.D., MSPH, director of the Clinical Research Unit in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and Nathan E. Miles Endowed Chair of Ophthalmology, has been inducted as a member of the inaugural class of UAB's chapter of the National Academy of Inventors. 

Cynthia Owsley, PhD, MSPHCynthia Owsley, PhD, director of the Clinical Research Unit in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, has received the 2022 Roger H. Johnson Macular Degeneration Award.

Congratulations to Dawn DeCarlo, OD, PhD, director of the UAB Center for Low Vision Rehabilitation and professor in the UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, for being named the recipient of the Sight Savers America (SSA) 2022 Hall W. Thompson Hero for Sight Award. 

Professor Emeritus

Community Partner
Sights Savers America

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences recently held its annual Symposium, and this year, we were pleased to welcome featured speakers Sophie J. Bakri, MD, from the Mayo Clinic, Geoffrey Tabin, MD, from Stanford Byers Eye Institute, and Mark A. Terry, MD, from Devers Eye Institute.

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences hosted its first-ever virtual Symposium in June. Eighty attendees joined us for virtual presentations by our residents and featured speakers – Sonal Tuli, M.D., M.Ed., Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Florida; David Guyton, M.D., Zanvyl Krieer Professor in Ophthalmology at Wilmer Eye Institute; and Glenn J. Jaffe, M.D., Robert Machemer Professor of Ophthalmology, Vitreoretinal Faculty at Duke University Eye Center, and Chief of the Retina Division at Duke Reading Center.

The research faculty within the UAB Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences have demonstrated exceptional contribution to the field of ophthalmic research through their authorship of 94 publications in the 2023 fiscal year. These articles span 50 distinguished, peer-reviewed journals such as American Journal of Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, JAMA Ophthalmology, and more. This impressive body of work underscores the commitment to advancing ophthalmic knowledge and an impactful role in diverse scientific discussions. Their collective efforts further solidify the department’s reputation as a leader in vision research and innovation.

Eye screenings of people with diabetes in underserved communities revealed that one in five had early stage diabetic retinopathy, according to a new study by a research consortium including investigators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

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Songs for Sigh Support Group receive tickets to inclusive performance of "Shrek the Musical"In a heartwarming act of generosity, Alison Gorrie, alongside the Gorrie Family, donated 20 tickets to a special performance of "Shrek the Musical" at the Red Mountain Theatre. The inclusive event was catered to the unique needs of individuals with vision impairments, and the donated tickets were specifically intended for members of the Songs for Sight Group, a support community dedicated to children and young adults with low vision. Jennifer Jaques, the development personnel at Red Mountain Theatre Company, worked alongside Alison to ensure the success of this remarkable endeavor.

J. Crawford Downs, PhD, Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has co-edited the first book written about the growing field of ocular biomechanics. The 36-chapter book is co-edited by downs, Cynthia J. Roberts, PhD, and William J. Dupps, MD, PhD. 

J. Crawford Downs, Ph.D. and collaborators recently had an article chosen as one of 10 Editor’s Selections for commentary in this quarter’s (1st quarter 2021) International Glaucoma Review (IGR). IGR has the most complete collection of abstracts from the glaucoma literature which are otherwise not available. It is the only journal that presents a three-monthly critical review of selected glaucoma literature. It catalogs all glaucoma-related publications for the period.