Alice McPherson
{{Short description|Canadian physician and academic (1926–2023)}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Alice McPherson
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|06|20}}
| birth_place = Saskatchewan
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|01|16|1926|06|20}}
| workplaces = Massachusetts Eye and Ear
University of Wisconsin–Madison
| alma_mater = University of Wisconsin–Madison
}}
Alice McPherson (June 20, 1926 – January 16, 2023) was a Canadian-born physician and professor who dedicated her career to the diagnosis and treatment of retinal disease. She founded the Retina Research Foundation and the McPherson Eye Research Institute. She was awarded the University of Lausanne Gonin Medal in 2014.
Early life and education
McPherson was born in Saskatchewan.{{Cite web |title=Remembering Our Founder and President {{!}} Retina Research Foundation |url=https://retinaresearchfnd.org/about-rrf/remembering-our-founder-and-president/ |access-date=2023-02-04 |website=retinaresearchfnd.org}} She spent her childhood in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She studied medicine at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and completed a residency in ophthalmology in 1955.{{Cite web |title=In Memoriam: Alice McPherson, MD |url=https://eye.hms.harvard.edu/news/memorium-alice-mcpherson-md |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=eye.hms.harvard.edu |language=en}} She said that she chose to specialise in ophthalmology because she realised how important vision was to wellbeing. She was a fellow with Charles Schepens at Massachusetts Eye and Ear. At the time she was training, there were not many cures for retinal detachment. McPherson was the first woman fellow to work in vitreoretinal surgery.{{Cite journal |last1=Bansal |first1=Rolika |last2=Spivey |first2=BruceE |last3=Straatsma |first3=BradleyR |last4=Honavar |first4=SantoshG |date=2022 |title=The Alice who created a wonderland – Alice Ruth McPherson |journal=Indian Journal of Ophthalmology |language=en |volume=70 |issue=8 |pages=2784–2786 |doi=10.4103/ijo.IJO_1719_22 |issn=0301-4738 |pmc=9672765 |pmid=35918916 |doi-access=free }}
Research
In 1958, McPherson moved to Texas, where she joined the Baylor College of Medicine. She pioneered several procedures in retinal surgery, including cryotherapy, laser photocoagulation and serial buckling.{{Cite web |url=https://retinatoday.com/articles/2018-mar/5-questions-with-alice-r-mcpherson-md |title=5 Questions With Alice R. McPherson, MD |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=Retina Today |language=en}} She was a proponent of photocoagulation in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.{{Cite web |title=Alice R. McPherson, MD - Retina Reflections |url=https://retinahistory.asrs.org/retina-reflections/alice-mcpherson |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=retinahistory.asrs.org}} She became the first woman to be accepted to the European Jules Gonin club.
In 1969, McPherson founded the Retina Research Foundation, which looked to eradicate retinal disease worldwide. The Foundation provided funding to researchers working on retinal diseases and established professorships at major research institutions. From 1969 to 2023 the foundation awarded over $40 million to researchers working in ophthalmology. In 2002 McPherson helped to establish the University of Wisconsin Eye Research Institute, which became known as the McPherson Eye Research Institute in her honour in 2012. She served on their Board of Directors.
In 1969, McPherson founded the Retina Research Foundation, which would become one of the leading eye research organisations in the word.{{Cite web |title=Retina Research Foundation {{!}} Reducing Retinal Blindness Worldwide |url=https://retinaresearchfnd.org/ |access-date=2023-02-04 |website=retinaresearchfnd.org}}
Awards and honours
- President of the Retina Society{{Cite web |last=Society |first=The Retina |title=Mission and History - The Retina Society |url=https://www.retinasociety.org/page/10/mission-and-history |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=www.retinasociety.org}}
- 1995 President of the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology Foundation{{Cite web |title=Dr. Alice R. McPherson (1926-2023) |url=https://paao.org/obit-dr-alice-r-mcpherson/ |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=paao.org |language=en-US}}
- 2014 University of Lausanne Gonin Medal{{Cite web |date=2018-07-25 |title=Dr. Alice McPherson's Gonin Medal donated to UW Archives |url=https://vision.wisc.edu/2018/07/25/dr-alice-mcphersons-gonin-medal-donated-to-uw-archives/ |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=McPherson Eye Research Institute |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Gonin Medalist {{!}} Retina Research Foundation |url=https://retinaresearchfnd.org/research-programs/established-awards/gonin-medalist/ |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=retinaresearchfnd.org}}
- 2015 University of Wisconsin–Madison Distinguished Alumni{{Cite web |date=2015-09-18 |title=Dr. Alice McPherson Receives 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award |url=https://vision.wisc.edu/2015/09/18/dr-alice-mcpherson-receives-2015-distinguished-alumni-award/ |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=McPherson Eye Research Institute |language=en-US}}
- 2019 Retina Hall of Fame Award{{Cite web |last=Fame |first=Retina Hall of |title=Retina Hall of Fame |url=https://retinahalloffame.org/awards |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=Retina Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Alumnus Alice R. McPherson, MD, Receives Retina Hall of Fame Award |url=https://eye.hms.harvard.edu/news/alumnus-alice-r-mcpherson-md-receives-retina-hall-fame-award |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=eye.hms.harvard.edu |language=en}}
- 2020 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award{{Cite web |title=Alice McPherson, MD, Presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who's Who |url=https://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/469546/alice-mcpherson-md-presented-with-the-albert-nelson-marquis-lifetime-achievement-award-by-marquis-whos-who |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=24-7 Press Release Newswire |language=en}}
- Elected Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
- Elected Fellow of the International College of Surgeons
Selected publications
- {{Cite Q|Q43905900}}
- {{Cite Q|Q38775601}}
- {{Cite Q|Q42149793}}
References
{{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McPherson, Alice}}
Category:Physicians from Saskatchewan
Category:Canadian emigrants to the United States
Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
Category:20th-century American physicians
Category:21st-century American physicians
Category:20th-century American women physicians
Category:21st-century American women physicians
Category:Fellows of the American College of Surgeons