Faculty News
| New additions
NEW FACULTY:
Eldon Geisert, PhD, joined the
Eye Center’s research section in
winter 2014. He previously served
as professor of
ophthalmology,
University
of Tennessee
Health Science
Center, as
the Hamilton
Eye Institute
Professor
of Anatomy and Neurobiology
and Director of Research in
Ophthalmology. He received his
doctoral degree at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison, in neuroscience,
and his undergraduate degree in
biology from the University of
California, Irvine.
Geisert’s primary research interests
include defining the molecular
mechanisms governing the retinal
response to injury and study of a
novel molecule that selectively kills
the most virulent form of brain
cancer, glioblastoma.
He holds a $1 million grant from
the U.S. Army Medical Research
Acquisition Activity to study eye
injuries from improvised explosive
devices. He hopes to develop better
ways to monitor the severity of such
injuries and treat them. Geisert
also has a $1.5 million National Eye
Institute grant to study the genetic
differences that lead to glaucoma.
Danny Haddad, MD, joined the Eye
Center in fall 2013 as the first fulltime director of Global Ophthalmology Emory (GO-Emory). He previously
served as director of the Atlantabased International Trachoma Initiative (ITI), a partnership in support of
the global effort to eliminate blinding
trachoma by 2020.
Haddad is an international leader
and a strategist in public health policy
on trachoma. Born in the Netherlands,
he received his medical degree from
the State University of Groningen.
He was a Helen Keller International
(HKI) volunteer, managing the Irian
Jaya Eye Care Project in Indonesia.
He also served in Africa with HKI in
numerous capacities. He later worked
at the Academic
Medical Center of
the University of
Amsterdam, focusing on parasitic diseases, and he
has more than 18
years of experience in blindness
prevention in developing countries.
Haddad holds memberships in
the American Society of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene, the
International Society of Geographical
and Epidemiological Ophthalmology,
and the Royal Society of Tropical
Medicine and Hygiene.
Rabeea Janjua, MD, joined the Eye
Center in December 2014, in the section of Comprehensive Ophthalmology. She
graduated from
George Washington University
magna cum laude
and received her
medical degree
from the University of Maryland School
of Medicine in Baltimore. Dr. Janjua’s
internship and residency in ophthalmology were at the University of Maryland, where she was honored to serve as
co-chief resident.
Dr. Janjua’s clinical interests
include comprehensive eye care,
cataract surgery, glaucoma lasers,
the ophthalmologic manifestation
of systemic disease (diabetes, dry
eye syndrome, uveitis). Her research
interests include tele-medicine and
the sustainable eye health programs in
underserved areas.
She is a member of the American
Academy of Ophthalmology, the
Maryland Society of Eye Physicians
& Surgeons, the Islamic Medical
Association of North America and the
Association for Research and Vision
in Ophthalmology.
Petra Jo, OD, joined the Eye Center
in summer 2014 in Vision & Optical
Services within the Comprehensive
Ophthalmology section. She provides
comprehensive eye care, with
emphasis on
primary care and
ocular disease.
Jo performs lowvision exams as
well. She earned
her doctor of
optometry
degree at
Nova Southeastern University and
completed her residency at the WJB
Dorn VA Medical Center in South
Carolina. She holds memberships in
the American Academy of Optometry,
South Carolina Optometric Physician
Association, American Optometric
Association, and the Beta Sigma
Kappa International Optometric
Honor Society.
Yousuf M. Khalifa, MD, FACS, joined
the faculty in August 2014. He serves
as chief of service for ophthalmology
at Grady Memorial Hospital and in
the cornea service at the Eye Center.
Khalifa previously served at the
University of Rochester, where he was
cornea and external disease specialist
and residency program director.
2015 | Emory Eye 25