LA BioMed Celebrates the Accomplishments of Three “Legends”

Nov. 15 Event to Honor Outstanding Physician-Researchers

In a continuation of a tradition for recognizing its most outstanding physician-researchers, LA BioMed will celebrate the many accomplishments of Drs. Sherwin J. Isenberg, Nora C.J. Sun and Ronald S. Swerdloff on Nov. 15 at Legends 2016 at the Torrance Marriott Redondo Beach.  

“We are so pleased to recognize these distinguished physician-researchers as LA BioMed Legends because they have done so much to solve today’s healthcare challenges and to benefit patients around the globe,” said David I. Meyer, PhD, LA BioMed president and CEO. “Dr. Isenberg’s research has saved the eyesight of thousands of children and adults in third-world countries. Dr. Sun’s research has benefitted countless patients with HIV, and Dr. Swerdloff has been a leader in andrology and endocrinology for more than four decades.”

Dr. Isenberg and Dr. Leonard Apt pioneered the use of low-cost, easy to use eye drops (povidone-iodine) for prevention and treatment of potential blindness from infections at birth and subsequently in developing countries where antibiotics are too expensive and inaccessible for many patients to access. The application of these eye drops before and after eye surgery, which were invented at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, has prevented thousands of eyes from going blind from post-operative infections and is now used throughout the world. Dr. Isenberg has published more than 200 research papers and book chapters. He also published the book, “The Eye in Infancy.”  With four others, he established the International Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Council and currently is the American representative.

Dr. Isenberg’s work has been recognized by many honors and awards including the Hampton Roy Award for the prevention and cure of worldwide blindness from the World Eye Foundation, the David Friendly Memorial Award of the Costenbader Pediatric Ophthalmology Society, the Medical Achievement Award for neonatal ophthalmic research by the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for Blind and Visually Impaired, the Heed Foundation Award, the Transforming Lives Award from CRE Outreach and the Marshall M. Parks M.D. Medal from The Children’s Eye Foundation.   

Dr. Sun is an internationally renowned hematopathologist and outstanding teacher whose leadership in HIV research led to several honors, including the Distinguished Service Award by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists in 1996 and Lifetime Achievement Award by the Los Angeles Society of Pathologists, Inc. in 2008. She was also elected to leadership positions at the Faculty Society, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, and International Association of Chinese Pathologists. In addition, she was honored several times as the Teacher of the Year by the residents in pathology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Dr. Sun’s research techniques facilitated the studies of pathogenetic mechanisms in many diseases. In collaboration with Dr. Paul Shapshak and others, she was among the very few first groups to identify HIV in cells of multiple organs. She was also the first researcher to find the link between Kaposi sarcoma in HIV infected patients and Castlemen's disease, a rare disease of lymph nodes and related tissue. Her research team also identified that HIV was present in the stem cells of the bone marrow and found the changing patterns in HIV patients after the institution of certain types of treatment.

The third honoree, Dr. Swerdloff, has published over 500 papers, books and chapters. He has trained more than 200 endocrinologists and andrologists, many of whom are current leaders in the field, and he has served in many leadership roles in the scientific societies and national and international scientific organizations. From his early work, which provided new insights into the developmental changes during puberty, to his three decades of research into the development of male contraceptives, Dr. Swerdloff has been a pre-eminent leader in andrology. He has served on the editorial boards of several journals and as a reviewer for over 60 scientific journals. He has also been a member of numerous National Institutes of Health expert panels, and he served as a consultant for the U.S. Olympic Committee, World Anti-doping Committee, National Football League and the P.G.A.

Dr. Swerdloff has received numerous awards, including the American Society of Andrology Distinguished Andrologist Award in 2004, Mayo Soley Award, the Sherman Mellinkoff Award and the Distinguished Educator Award from the Endocrine Society.  He has been elected to a number of prestigious societies, including the American Association of Physicians and as a Master of the American College of Physicians.

To attend Legends 2016, please contact Lisa Bosnich at 310-222-3619, ext. 7077, or email her at LBosnich@LABioMed.org. Tickets to the Nov. 15 event are $150 each. The event begins with a 5:30 p.m. reception followed by a 7 p.m. dinner and program. The Torrance Marriott Redondo Beach is located at 3635 Fashion Way, Torrance, CA 90503.