Harry Quigley needs no introduction to most of those attending this session of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), as he has been so active in the organization, serving as glaucoma section chairperson (1984–1985), Editor-in-Chief of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (1993–1997), Secretary-Treasurer of ARVO (a position now known as Executive Vice President, 1987–1992), and Trustee of ARVO (1987–1997). However, the award he is receiving has been given for his research accomplishments and not for his extensive service to ARVO.
By way of background, Harry obtained his AB from Harvard College in 1967 and received his MD from Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore in 1971. He served as a medicine intern at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco (1972), undertook his residency (1972–1975) at the Wilmer Institute at Johns Hopkins (where he is now on the faculty), and took his glaucoma research fellowship with me (1975–1977) at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine. He has since become involved in a variety of research related to the mechanisms behind glaucomatous optic nerve damage and to the impact of chronic glaucoma on the individual and society. The Friedenwald medal has been awarded for these scientific contributions, which have centered around a fundamental understanding of the disease we know as “glaucoma,” from the details of the disease pathogenesis studied in the laboratory, through understanding of clinical manifestations, to social and world-wide implications. I will refrain from detailing these accomplishments for fear of pre-empting what Harry will present in his lecture. The magnitude and import of his contributions of new information and new ideas will be abundantly evident as the basis for the award.
The lecture is also an opportunity to honor Jonas Friedenwald, an ophthalmologist who served the Baltimore area, like his father before him. He was noted for his extraordinary ability to apply logic and knowledge, to solve new problems in a manner that far surpassed his contemporaries; but, surprisingly, he was a person who had entered medicine rather than mathematics to overcome shyness among people. Dr. Quigley is not known for shyness exactly, being quick to participate in discussion and express his ideas, but these ideas are always worthy of hearing, and in many other respects he does indeed share personal and intellectual traits with Jonas Friedenwald. When the Friedenwald Lecture was last given by someone from Baltimore, it was accompanied by a nice biography of Jonas Friedenwald, which, for interested scholars, can be found in the 1980 volume of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science adjacent to the transcript of the lecture (vol. 9:1139–1149).
Dr. Quigley asked me not to embarrass him by showing childhood photographs and not to describe the nonacademic aspects of his life, which he pointed out are irrelevant to the reason for his receiving the award, but I can’t help mentioning how much he enjoys his family. He is devoted to them and is sure to mention them with pride, pointing out their occasional involvement in his academic work. It is my great pleasure and honor to offer this brief introduction of this year’s awardee and the scholarly review of his work that follows.