Dimitri Azar

Azar received his medical degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. Azar practiced at the Wilmer Eye Institute at the Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Medicine,{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6lbctGIMeVIC&dq=dimitri+Azar++Wilmer+Eye+Institute&pg=PR11|title=LASIK (Laser in Situ Keratomileusis): Fundamentals, Surgical Techniques, and Complications|last1=Azar|first1=Dimitri T.|last2=Koch|first2=Douglas|date=2002-11-26|publisher=CRC Press|isbn=9780824745776|pages=xi|language=en}} and completed his fellowship and residency training at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary at Harvard Medical School,{{Cite news|url=https://www.masseyeandear.org/~/media/testupload/files/contactfall01.pdf?la=en|title=Drs. Nathalie & Dimitri Azar: THE INFIRMARY'S DYNAMIC DUO|date=Fall 2001|work=Contact: news from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary|access-date=2 August 2018|archive-date=3 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803014047/https://www.masseyeandear.org/~/media/testupload/files/contactfall01.pdf?la=en|url-status=dead}} where he was a tenured professor of ophthalmology (2003–2006) and senior scientist at the Schepens Eye Research Institute.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newswise.com/articles/cornea-specialist-named-dean-of-uic-college-of-medicine|title=Cornea Specialist Named Dean of UIC College of Medicine|website=www.newswise.com|access-date=2018-08-02}}

Azar also holds an honorary master's degree from Harvard, as well as an Executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

After serving as tenured professor at Harvard Medical School, Azar joined UIC as a professor of ophthalmology, bioengineering and pharmacology, where he also served as head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and B.A. Field Endowed Chair of Ophthalmologic Research. He has published more than 500 scientific articles, chapters and patents with over 20,000 citations. He is a member of the American Ophthalmological Society,{{Cite news|url=https://www.aosonline.org/assets/xactions/2006/06-taos-frontmatter.pdf|title=MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS; One Hundred and Forty-Second Annual Meeting|date=2006|work=Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society|access-date=2 August 2018|page=11}} former president of the Chicago Ophthalmological Society,{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagoeyenet.org/past-presidents|title=Past-Presidents|last=Paul|first=Richard|website=www.chicagoeyenet.org|language=en-us|access-date=2018-08-02}} president-elect of the Chicago Medical Society, and former Trustee of the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).{{Cite web|url=https://www.cmsdocs.org/about-us/leadership/Executive_Committee|title=Executive Committee — Chicago Medical Society|website=www.cmsdocs.org|access-date=2018-08-02}}

Azar is the CEO of [https://www.lacristat.com Lacristat], a San Jose headquartered ophthalmology biotech company and serves as Senior Advisor at Verily. Until recently, he was the founder and chief executive officer of Twenty Twenty Therapeutics, a joint venture between Verily Life Sciences and Santen.

He was a non-executive member of Novartis' Board of Directors from 2012 until 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/01/30/1707333/0/en/Novartis-delivered-strong-sales-growth-with-core-margin-expansion-built-leading-advanced-therapy-platforms-and-focused-the-company-in-2018.html|title=Novartis AGM Notes|last=AG|first=Novartis International|date=2019-01-30|website=GlobeNewswire News Room|access-date=2019-01-31}} He was also a member of the Audit and Compliance Committee and the Research & Development Committee.

Azar was a senior director of ophthalmological innovation at Verily, where ophthalmological projects include the development of smart contact lenses, including lenses designed to assist those with presbyopia and an intraocular lens.{{Cite web|url=https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/google-s-6-most-recent-hospital-hires.html|title=Google's 6 most recent hospital hires|last=Spitzer|first=Julie|website=www.beckershospitalreview.com|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-08-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/geisinger-ceo-feinberg-packs-for-google-months-after-balking-amazon/541826/|title=Geisinger CEO Feinberg packs for Google months after shrugging off Amazon|website=Healthcare Dive|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-31}}{{Cite web|url=https://verily.com/projects/sensors/smart-lens-program/|title=Smart Lens Program - Verily Life Sciences|website=verily.com|access-date=2019-02-26|archive-date=2019-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203045604/https://verily.com/projects/sensors/smart-lens-program/|url-status=dead}} He was on the board of Verb Surgical Inc.{{Cite web|date=2018|title=Arvo 2018 Moderator index|url=https://www.arvo.org/globalassets/annual-meeting/program/psb/psb_moderator-author-index.pdf|access-date=2 August 2018|website=Arvo.org|archive-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802223733/https://www.arvo.org/globalassets/annual-meeting/program/psb/psb_moderator-author-index.pdf|url-status=dead}} and sits on the board of the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society in the US.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tearfilm.org/paginesin-board_of_directors/46_41/eng/|title=Board of Directors|access-date=2 August 2018}} He also sits on the board of Jellisee and the Cure Blindness Project (aka, Himalayan Cataract Project).

• Azar DT, Steinert R., Stark WJ, editors. Excimer Laser Therapy: Phototherapeutic Keratectomy Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins; 1997 {{ISBN|978-0683303469}}
• Azar DT. Refractive Surgery. Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange-Simon and Schuster; 1997 {{ISBN|978-0323035996}}
• Difficult and Complicated Cases in Refractive Surgery, Jorge L. Alió and Dimitri T. Azar, Springer, 2015 {{ISBN|978-3642552373}}
• Pharmacologic Therapy of Ocular Disease (Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology), Scott M. Whitcup and Dimitri T. Azar, Springer 2017 {{ISBN|978-3319582887}}
• Albert DM, Jakobiec FA; (Azar DT, and Gragoudas ES associate editors to FAJ).  Principles and Practice of Ophthalmology Second Edition. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 1999. {{ISBN|978-0721675008}}
• Jakobiec FA, Azar DT, editors. Pediatric Ophthalmology; International Ophthalmology Clinics; Winter 1992.  {{ISBN|978-0316456524}}
• Azar DT, editor.  (Stark WJ, Azar NF, Pineda R, Yoo SH, associate editors).  Intraocular Lenses in Cataract and Refractive Surgery.  Philadelphia PA; Saunders; May 2001. {{ISBN|9780721686998}}
• Melki SA, Azar DT, editors.  101 Pearls in Refractive, Cataract, and Corneal Surgery.  Thorofare, NJ: Slack; June 2001. {{ISBN|978-1-55642-684-1}}
• Azar DT, Koch DD, editors.  LASIK: Fundamentals, Surgical Techniques, and Complications.  New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; November 2002.  {{ISBN|978-0824745776}}
• Tsubota K, Boxer-Wachler B, Azar DT, Koch DD, editors.  Hyperopia and Presbyopia.  New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2003.  {{ISBN|978-0824741075}}
• Foster CS, Azar DT, Dohlman CH, editors.  Smolin and Thoft's The Cornea: Scientific Foundations and Clinical Practice, 4th Edition. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005.  {{ISBN|978-0781742061}}
• Azar DT, Camellin M, Yee R, editors.  LASEK, PRK, and Excimer Laser Stromal Surface Ablation.  New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2005.  {{ISBN|978-0824754341}}
• Melki SA, Azar DT, editors.  101 Pearls in Refractive, Cataract, and Corneal Surgery, 2nd Edition. Thorofare, NJ: Slack; 2006. {{ISBN|978-1556426841}}
• Azar DT, editor. (Gatinel D, Hoang-Xuan T, associate editors).  Refractive Surgery, 2nd Edition.  St. Louis, MO: Elsevier-Mosby, 2007. {{ISBN|978-0323035996}}
• Albert DM, Miller JW, editors, Azar DT, Blodi BA, associate editors.  Albert and Jakobiec's Principles and Practice in Ophthalmology, 3rd Edition. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier, 2008. {{ISBN|978-1437721119}}
• Alio JL, Azar DT editors. Management of Complications in Refractive Surgery. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2008. {{ISBN|978-3540375838}}
• Azar DT, editor; BCSC 3. Clinical Optics, American Academy of Ophthalmology. San Francisco, CA; 2012. {{ISBN|978-1615255573}}
• Alio JL, Azar DT, Abbouda A, Asward E, editors. Difficult and Complicated Cases in Refractive Surgery. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2015 {{ISBN|978-3642552373}}
• Azar DT, Rosen E. Yanoff and Duke's Cataract and Refractive Surgery e-book e-book searchable. {{ISBN|978-0323374941}}
• Whitcup S, Azar DT, editors. Pharmacologic Therapy of Ocular Disease. Springer Heidelberg, 2017 {{ISBN|978-3-319-58290-0}}
• Alio JL, Azar DT editors. Management of Complications in Refractive Surgery. Second Edition. Springer-verlap Berlin Heidelberg, 2018 {{ISBN|978-3-319-60561-6}}
• Azar DT, editor.  Refractive Surgery, 3rd Edition.  St. Louis, MO: Elsevier-Mosby, 2019. {{ISBN|978-0323547697}}
• Azar DT, Alio JL, Hallak J, Cortina SM, editors. Surgical management of Astigmatism, Jaypee Publishing, 2020 {{ISBN|978-9389188851}}
• Albert DM, Miller JW, Azar DT, Young LH, editors, Blodi BA, associate editors. Albert and Jakobiec's Principles and Practice in Ophthalmology, 4th Edition. Philadelphia, PA: by Springer Verlag. 2022 {{ISBN| 9783030426347}}

Azar is an internationally recognized ophthalmic surgeon and prolific researcher. He has been named one of The Best Doctors in America and one of the Castle Connolly Top Doctors in America annually since 1994. He holds multiple committee positions with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is a member of the American Ophthalmological Association and sits on the board of trustees of the Chicago Ophthalmological Society and the Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. He has received multiple leadership awards, including the 2009 Lans Distinguished Award from the International Society of Refractive Surgery, and the University of Illinois at Chicago Scholar Award.{{Cite news |title=UI Board of Trustees approves appointment of Dimitri Azar, MD, MBA as Dean of the College of Medicine |url=https://chicago.medicine.uic.edu/ui-board-of-trustees-approves-appointment-of-dimitiri-azar-md-mba-as-dean-of-the-college-of-medicine/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021193125/https://chicago.medicine.uic.edu/ui-board-of-trustees-approves-appointment-of-dimitiri-azar-md-mba-as-dean-of-the-college-of-medicine/ |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |access-date=2018-08-13 |work=Chicago Medicine |language=en-US}} Azar was awarded the Life Achievement award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology for his sustained services to the organization.{{Cite web|title=2015 Special Recognition: American Academy of Ophthalmology Life Achievement Honor Awardees|url=https://www.aao.org/about/awards/special-recognition/life-time-achievement|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430225347/http://www.aao.org/about/awards/special-recognition/life-time-achievement |archive-date=2016-04-30 }} The International Society of Refractive Surgery, in 2013, awarded him with the Jose Barraquer Award and has also received the University of Illinois at Chicago Scholar Award, and the Distinguished Professor award in 2013.{{Cite web|title=2013 José I. Barraquer Lecture and Award: Dr. Dimitri Azar|url=https://www.isrs.org/about-isrs/barraquer-lecture-and-awards/2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217035843/https://www.isrs.org/about-isrs/barraquer-lecture-and-awards/2013 |archive-date=2020-02-17 }} In 2016, Weill Cornell Medical College awarded Azar with the John McLean Medal.{{Cite web|title=Millennium Park Eye Center|url=http://www.millenniumparkeyecenter.com/azar-dimitri-academic-profile/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813044859/http://www.millenniumparkeyecenter.com/azar-dimitri-academic-profile/ |archive-date=2020-08-13 }}

From 2008 to 2010, Chicago Magazine, in cooperation with Castle Connelly Medical Ltd., listed Azar as one of the top doctors in ophthalmology.{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Geoffrey|date=December 17, 2007|title=Chicago's Top Doctors|url=https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/january-2008/chicagos-top-doctors/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222053306/http://www.chicagomag.com:80/Chicago-Magazine/January-2008/Chicagos-Top-Doctors/ |archive-date=2007-12-22 }} In 2016, he received the Castroviejo Award in recognition of exceptional contributions in support of the Society's mission from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, as well as the Ramon Castroviejo Award from the Cornea Society.{{Cite web|title=Castroviejo Award|url=https://corneasociety.org/castroviejo-award|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428134500/http://www.corneasociety.org/castroviejo-award |archive-date=2019-04-28 }} On June 27, 2019, he received an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Balamand, in recognition of his significant lifetime achievements as a world-renowned scholar, creative inventor, academician, and eye surgeon.{{Cite web|date=June 27, 2019|title=University of Balamand was honored to host Dr. Dimitri Azar as the keynote speaker|website=Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/balamand.edu.lb/posts/the-university-of-balamand-was-honored-to-host-dr-dimitri-azar-as-the-keynote-sp/1285646601601324/}}

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=January 2021}}

• [https://www.novartis.com/our-company/board-directors/dimitri-azar-en Novartis profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803014005/https://www.novartis.com/our-company/board-directors/dimitri-azar-en |date=2018-08-03 }}
• [https://chicago.medicine.uic.edu/ui-board-of-trustees-approves-appointment-of-dimitiri-azar-md-mba-as-dean-of-the-college-of-medicine/ UIC statement]

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Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:Eye care in the United States

Category:American University of Beirut alumni

Category:University of Chicago faculty

Category:Harvard Medical School people

Category:Lebanese ophthalmologists