Director of Gavin Herbert Eye Institute honored for lasting impact on ophthalmologic research, education and patient care
Baruch D. Kuppermann, MD, PhD, receives the Roger Steinert, MD Legacy Award
Orange, Calif. — Dr. Baruch D. Kuppermann, director of the UCI Health Gavin Herbert Eye Institute and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at UC Irvine School of Medicine received the Roger Steinert, MD Legacy Award at the 2025 Octane OC Ophthalmology Tech Forum on June 27.
The prestigious honor recognizes his decades of clinical leadership and prolific contributions to ophthalmologic research, education and patient care.
A specialist in retina and vitreous surgery, Kuppermann’s research focuses on the toxicity of drugs on retinal cells. He has conducted many clinical trials to evaluate new drugs and technologies for age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion. He is also active in the development of drug delivery systems for the posterior eye segment in collaboration with the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UC Irvine.
Under his leadership, the eye institute now provides the fullest range of state-of-the-art ophthalmic services in Orange County. It also conducts leading-edge research aimed at curing eye diseases and reversing blindness.
Future plans include launching new medical programs and a radical expansion of basic and clinical research efforts including moving of the eye institute's research operations to the Falling Leaves Foundation Medical Innovation building this past spring. The premier research facility located on the university campus in Irvine is the new home for its world-renowned translational research center, genomic editing program and other basic and clinical research endeavors.
Kuppermann has been recognized as among the Best Doctors in America® and has been repeatedly named a Physician of Excellence by the Orange County Medical Association for a decade.
Make an appointment by calling UCI Health Eye Care Services at 949-824-2020.
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UCI Health, one of California’s largest academic health systems, is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. The 1,317-bed system comprises its main campus UCI Medical Center, its flagship hospital in Orange, Calif., the UCI Health — Irvine medical campus, four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and a network of ambulatory care centers across the region. UCI Medical Center provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to the only Orange County-based National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).