Brian C. Samuels, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor in the UAB Department of Ophthalmology, has been named Director of the Glaucoma Division and Chief of Staff of the UAB Callahan Eye Hospital.
Dr. Samuels completed his residency training at UAB followed by clinical and research fellowships in glaucoma at Duke University. Since fellowship, Dr. Samuels has established a reputation in the glaucoma field as an outstanding clinician-scientist.
Dr. Samuels has built a successful research program since joining the faculty at UAB. He is now the primary investigator or co-primary investigator on three NIH grants and was recently awarded the prestigious Research to Prevent Blindness Physician-Scientist Award. His research focuses on identifying how the brain controls pressure inside the eye and brain. This is important because an imbalance in these pressures is thought to be a leading cause for the development and progression of glaucoma.
Dr. Samuels also works to develop novel research models that will help accelerate the pace of new discoveries in the field of glaucoma research. In addition to his own work, he collaborates with many of the leading experts in glaucoma research both on campus and nation-wide. Of note is his collaboration with Georgia Tech and NASA that is aimed at understanding why astronauts who are in space for extended periods of time experience vision problems. While much of his time is spent focused on glaucoma research, Dr. Samuels also maintains an active clinical and surgical practice. Dr. Samuels sees general ophthalmology patients, but his area of expertise is the diagnosis and management of glaucoma patients.
“I look forward to working with Dr. Samuels in his new roles as Director of the UAB Glaucoma Division and Chief of Staff at the Callahan Eye Hospital,” said Christopher A. Girkin, MD, MSPH, FACS, EyeSight Foundation of Alabama Chair in the Department of Ophthalmology. “As a practice partner and a research collaborator, I have had the opportunity to see Brian develop into an accomplished clinician-scientist. He directs a well-funded, productive, basic science laboratory and maintains a busy clinic practice delivering care to patients with complex glaucomatous disease. In addition, he is well respected by both the faculty, residents, and staff within the department and among the community physicians. Dr. Samuels’ previous research, clinical, and administrative experiences have positioned him to lead our growing Glaucoma Division which now consists of seven fellowship trained clinicians and clinician-scientists in addition to six faculty researchers. I am confident he will excel in these new roles, and will be a key leader in our continued success.”