Baruch Kuppermann, MD, PhD

Dr. Baruch Kuppermann is the Steinert Professor and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, and Director of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California, Irvine. He also holds a joint appointment with the UCI Biomedical Engineering department. After earning his PhD in neuroscience at the California Institute of Technology and his medical degree at the University of Miami, he completed his internship at the Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center and residency in ophthalmology at the USC Doheny Eye Institute. He completed fellowships in retina and vitreous at St. Joseph Medical Center in Baltimore and at UCSD. His laboratory research focuses on assessing drug toxicity on retinal cells in culture, including various vital stains, steroids, and anti-VEGF compounds. More recently, the lab modified its focus to study the effect of mitochondrial genetics on retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema. He is active in developing drug delivery systems for the posterior segment through collaborative work with UCI Biomedical Engineering. He has published extensively in the peer-reviewed literature, has been a visiting professor at numerous U.S. and European universities, and has given several named lectureships. He is extensively involved in clinical research, serving as the Principal Investigator in many trials evaluating new drugs and technologies for the treatment of AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusion. Dr. Kuppermann is listed as one of the best doctors in America, and one of the “Best Ophthalmologists in Orange County” by Orange Coast Magazine.