INDIANAPOLIS — A native Hoosier and Indiana University School of Medicine-trained physician has been named chair of the IU School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology and director of the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute.
David K. Wallace, MD, MPH, professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics, vice chair for clinical strategic planning, and director of clinical research for the Duke University Department of Ophthalmology, will assume the role Nov. 1, taking the helm of a department with a rich history of research and philanthropic support.
“We are thrilled to have one of our own return to Indiana University in this key role,” said Jay Hess, MD, PhD, MHSA, dean, IU School of Medicine. “Dr. Wallace has distinguished himself in his field, as a researcher, clinician and educator.”
At Duke since 2005, Dr. Wallace was previously on the faculty at the University of North Carolina, where he served as ophthalmology residency program director for six years and obtained a master’s degree in public health in epidemiology.
His primary research interests are retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), amblyopia and clinical trials. He serves as chair of the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG), a National Institutes of Health-funded, national clinical research network, and he currently leads a multicenter, phase 1 dose-finding study of bevacizumab for ROP.
Dr. Wallace has lectured internationally and has authored or co-authored more than 120 scientific publications. He has served as senior associate editor for the Journal of the American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, and as president of the North Carolina Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons.
Born in Indianapolis and raised in South Bend, Dr. Wallace earned his undergraduate degree from IU and is an alumnus of IU School of Medicine’s class of 1990. He completed his residency training at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and he was fellowship trained in pediatric ophthalmology at IU School of Medicine.
Dr. Wallace assumes the role held by Louis Cantor, MD, chair of the department since 2009. Dr. Cantor plans to focus on his research and his duties associated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute was established in 2006 with a $30 million gift from the late philanthropists Eugene and Marilyn Glick. The gift paid for construction of the state-of-the-art building that houses the Department of Ophthalmology’s clinical, research and education programs, and established a $10 million endowment to fund innovative research related to eye disease.
“We have an excellent group of faculty members and a beautiful facility in the Glick Eye Institute,” said Dr. Wallace, who will also hold the title of Marilyn K. Glick Professor of Ophthalmology. “I’m looking forward to working with IU School of Medicine and IU Health leaders to grow the clinical practice and research programs. I think the sky is the limit for IU ophthalmology, and I can’t wait to get started.”