Dr. Robert Haimovici, an outstanding physician-scientist, passed away of limphoma in October 2002. A retinal specialist, Dr. Haimovici received his ophthalmology training at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami School of Medicine (1987-1990). During his four years at Bascom Palmer, Dr. Haimovici collaborated on a number of retina projects with Dr. J. Donald M. Gass, Bascom Palmer's world leader in medical retinal diseases. Following his stay in Miami, Dr. Haimovici completed a retina fellowship at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, England, with Bascom Palmer alumnus, Dr. Alan C. Bird, (1969 fellow), a renowned retina specialist and neuro-ophthalmologist. From 1992 to 1994 he was a vitreoretinal fellow on the Retina Service of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School.

In 1994, Dr. Haimovici was appointed Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Boston University School of Medicine. Her performed both laboratory and clinical research and concentrated his investigations on age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

This guest lectureship in retinal diseases was established by the Haimovici family in loving memory of their beloved son and husband. Bascom Palmer and the Miami Ophthalmological Society thanks them for their vision and support of the new lecture series.