Director) of the NIH Center for Human Immunology,
which he helped to establish in 2010. He received
OBITUARY
ROBERT B. NUSSENBLATT, MD, MPH
(1948-2016): EXTRAORDINARY
CLINICIAN-SCIENTIST AND EDUCATOR
R
OBERT BURTON NUSSENBLATT, MD, MPH, WHO FOR
many years was a member of the Journal’s Editorial
Board, passed away on April 17, 2016, after a brief
illness. He was a preeminent ophthalmologist, laboratory
and clinical investigator, teacher, and mentor, and he
will be missed greatly by his family, friends, and colleagues
around the world.
Dr Nussenblatt received his medical degree from the
State University of New York, Downstate College of
Medicine (1972) and later received a Master of Public
Health degree from the Bloomberg School of Public Health
at Johns Hopkins University (2007). After completing
residency training in ophthalmology at New York Univer-
sity (1977), he undertook training in ocular immunology at
the National Eye Institute (NEI), where he stayed for the
rest of his career. He held numerous leadership positions
at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the
years, most recently Head of the NEI Laboratory of Immu-
nology (since 1986) and Associate Director (Clinical
300
numerous awards, including the Proctor Award (1991)
from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthal-
mology (ARVO); the Gold Medal, for excellence in ocular
inflammatory disease (2004), from the International Uve-
itis Study Group (IUSG); the Life Achievement Award
(2011) from the American Academy of Ophthalmology
(AAO); the Kupfer Award (2012), for major scientific
achievements and contributions to the care of patients
with ocular inflammatory disease worldwide, from the
NEI; and NIH Director’s Award (2013) for exceptional
dedication, service, and visionary leadership during his
9-year tenure as Acting Scientific Director of the National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. He
was proud of 2 honorary degrees, one from Bar Ilan Univer-
sity, near Tel Aviv, Israel, and one from the University of
Paris. Shortly before his illness, Dr Nussenblatt was pro-
moted by the Director of the NIH to the position of NIH
Distinguished Investigator, a tremendous honor that has
been awarded to only a small number of individuals.
Dr Nussenblatt was arguably the most important figure in
the fields of uveitis and ocular immunology worldwide. He
was an author on more than 600 scientific articles, and
conducted some of the first randomized clinical trials
involving patients with uveitis. Throughout his career, Dr
Nussenblatt was a strong advocate for the use of immunosup-
pressive drugs to treat inflammatory eye diease.1 One of his
major contributions in this area was to show that cyclosporine
could be used successfully to treat noninfectious uveitis.2
He was passionate about translational research. Working
with noted laboratory immunologists at the NEI, including
Rachel R. Caspi, PhD, Chi-Chao Chan, MD, and Igal B.
Gery, PhD, he generated knowledge from basic research
that could be used to develop and refine clinical therapies.
They pursued a broad range of topics, including autoimmu-
nity, retinal antigens, and oral tolerance. Dr Gery
commented: ‘‘Bob was an ideal colleague and a close friend
for the 39 years we were together at the NEI. He always had
interesting new ideas and got excited about data. Bob was
one of the most optimistic persons I have ever known. He
was always ‘there,’ to share good and not-so-good personal
news. Bob was a real Renaissance man who could talk on
almost any topic. He opened new pages in research on uveitis,
in particular by developing animal models, and by introducing
new compounds for treatment of disease.’’ More recently, he
extended his investigations of ocular immunology to the study
of age-related macular degeneration. He also had a true pas-
sion for clinical studies, and was meticulous in his research
methods. He developed a widely used grading scale for vitre-
ous inflammatory reactions3 and played an integral role in the
Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) project.4
Dr Nussenblatt served the scientific community in many
capacities. He recognized the importance of a team
approach to science and pursued it on an international
scale. He was instrumental in organizing, and he continued
0002-9394/$36.00
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajo.2016.06.024
to lead, the Universities and National Institutes Transat-
lantic Eye (UNITE) Consortium for Human Ocular Immu-
nology, which partners the NEI with investigators in the
United Kingdom, China, and Hong Kong. He served as
president of the following organizations: American Uveitis
Society (1993-95), ARVO (1998-99), IUSG (2005-08),
and the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies
(FOCIS, 2013-15). Janet L. Davis, MD, Professor of
Ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute,
Miami, Florida, and one of Dr Nussenblatt’s former Clin-
ical Fellows, is the current president of the IUSG. She
said, ‘‘Bob was a wonderful mentor to so many people. He
was also mentored by wonderful people, especially in the
IUSG, which he joined at an early point in his career.
His multilingualism was ideal for the IUSG, and he was
very close with one of the principal leaders, Etienne
Bloch-Michel, MD [Paris, France], with whom he shared
a love of both immunological eye disease and the French
language.’’ He had been a member of the Scientific Advi-
sory Panel for Research to Prevent Blindness, Inc since
1997, and he was a member of the Policy and Data Moni-
toring Board (PDMB) for the NIH-supported Studies of the
Ocular Complications of AIDS (SOCA) for its entire 27
years. According to Douglas A. Jabs, Professor of Ophthal-
mology and Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount
Sinai and Chairman of SOCA, ‘‘Bob was a dedicated mem-
ber of the PDMB, who was adept at working with the other
members to arrive at the right decision. His presence will be
missed by the entire ophthalmic community.’’
Education was an additional passion. He trained dozens
of Clinical Fellows, many of whom are now leaders in the
uveitis community around the world. Laure Caspers, one
of Dr Nussenblatt’s early fellows, and currently Professor
of Ocular Immuno-allergology at the Université Libre de
Bruxelles in Belgium, remembers that ‘‘his passion for
science was truly infectious, as he nurtured and inspired a
generation of scientists who have continued to meet regu-
larly at conferences around the world, sharing research
and teaching the next generation. His legacy is not limited
to his own scientific work, but continues to expand with the
big family of uveitis scientists and clinicians he created. His
legacy is one that will impact science for decades to come.’’
He gave numerous named lectures throughout the world,
and his textbook Uveitis: Fundamentals and Clinical Practice,
now in its 4th edition, is the standard in the field.5 His
co-author, Scott M. Whitcup, MD, a former colleague at
the NEI and currently Chief Executive Officer of Akrivista
and Whitecap Biosciences, stated, ‘‘Over the years I collab-
orated with Bob on numerous research projects, but most
enjoyed working on our book together. His knowledge
and expertise extended far beyond immunology and uveitis,
and this made him a better physician, researcher, and
author. I fondly remember having coffee with him many
times in the lobby of the NIH Clinical Center, where we
would discuss everything from T cells to the latest articles
in the New Yorker. I will miss Bob immensely, but his voice
VOL. 169 OBITUARY
and advice will be with me always.’’ Dr. Nussenblatt
remained lifelong friends with most of his trainees. Manabu
Mochizuki, MD, Emeritus Professor in the Department of
Ophthalmology & Visual Science, Tokyo Medical and
Dental University, expressed his feelings by stating, ‘‘I
mourn the sudden departure of Dr Robert B. Nussenblatt
and convey my sincere gratitude for his long-term friend-
ship and support of me and my family. I first met Bob in
1981 when I started my research career in ocular immu-
nology at the NEI through a US–Japan exchange program.
Bob was a good friend to all, and an excellent mentor. He
was enthusiastic in science, but also extended a gentle and
warm heart to all of us. My family has had many wonderful
times with Bob’s family through the years.’’
Dr Nussenblatt was remarkable for his personal qualities.
During numerous tributes since his passing, the same words
have been heard repeatedly about him: humble, patient,
considerate, kind, generous, welcoming, collegial. He was
inclusive, and always sensitive to the feelings of others,
young and old. He was a master at establishing collabora-
tions and achieving consensus. He offered support, encour-
agement, and opportunities to young investigators. People
turned to him when dealing with complex ethical issues
related to clinical investigation.
Above all, he was devoted to his family. He is survived by
his wife, Rosine; their children, Veronique, Valerie, and
Eric; and 3 grandchildren. Veronique R. Nussenblatt,
MD, shared these comments, ‘‘My father was passionate
about his work and regularly worked at home during eve-
nings and the weekend, but I never felt that he was absent.
He had the incredible ability to focus entirely on his family
and never appear distracted by his work, despite all of his
professional responsibilities. He was very involved in all
aspects of his children’s lives, as we were growing up and
as adults. My parents were like two peas in a pod and
embraced each other’s interests.’’ Bob and Rosine Nussen-
blatt were famous for opening their home to colleagues
from work and to his trainees, making them all feel like
members of the family. And he had a wonderful sense of
humor. He was always quick with a kind word or a wry
comment about the amusing aspects of everyday life.
Beyond science, Dr Nussenblatt was well versed in
culture and current events. He was fluent in several lan-
guages and would entertain long conversations on topics
such as philosophy and world affairs. He was always the
optimist. His rounds were a combination of great insight
into disease and quizzes on geography, history, or religious
philosophy. Daniel F. Martin, MD, a former Clinical
Fellow and current Chairman of the Cleveland Clinic
Cole Eye Institute, recalls, ‘‘Bob had many great attributes:
caring physician, gifted researcher, and inspiring educator.
But most of all, Bob was a wonderful human being. Bob al-
ways saw the best in people and delighted in diversity of
culture and thought. He had an international view of the
world, and as a result had a wonderful group of colleagues
and friends across the globe.’’
301
 In conclusion, Dr Nussenblatt led an admirable and
productive life. Not only was he responsible for advancing uve-
itis and ocular immunology as a distinct discipline in ophthal-
mology, but he was one of the most honorable persons one
could ever meet. His integrity and the trust that everyone
placed in him were nonpareil. He touched many lives around
the world through his science, his leadership, and his human-
ity. His personal warmth and his professional legacy will live
on in the people whose lives he touched.
H. NIDA SEN
Bethesda, Maryland
RUBENS BELFORT, JR.
São Paulo, Brazil
CHI-CHAO CHAN
Bethesda, Maryland
RICHARD W.J. LEE
London and Bristol, United Kingdom
JAMES T. ROSENBAUM
Portland, Oregon
GARY N. HOLLAND
Los Angeles, California
REFERENCES
1. Jabs DA, Rosenbaum JT, Foster CS, et al. Guidelines for the
use of immunosuppressive drugs in patients with ocular inflam-
matory disorders: recommendations of an expert panel. Am J
Ophthalmol 2000;130(4):492–513.
2. Nussenblatt RB, Palestine AG, Chan CC. Cyclosporin A ther-
apy in the treatment of intraocular inflammatory disease resis-
tant to systemic corticosteroids and cytotoxic agents. Am J
Ophthalmol 1983;96(3):275–282.
3. Nussenblatt RB, Palestine AG, Chan CC, Roberge F.
Standardization of vitreal inflammatory activity in interme-
diate and posterior uveitis. Ophthalmology 1985;92(4):
467–471.
4. Jabs DA, Nussenblatt RB, Rosenbaum JT, Standardization of
Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) Working Group. Standardiza-
tion of uveitis nomenclature for reporting clinical data. Results
of the First International Workshop. Am J Ophthalmol 2005;
140(3):509–516.
5. Nussenblatt RB, Whitcup SM. Uveitis. Fundamentals and
Clinical Practice. 4th ed. Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby;
2010.

REPORTING VISUAL ACUITIES

The AJO encourages authors to report the visual acuity in the manuscript using the same nomenclature that was used in
gathering the data provided they were recorded in one of the methods listed here. This table of equivalent visual acuities is
provided to the readers as an aid to interpret visual acuity findings in familiar units.

Table of Equivalent Visual Acuity Measurements

Snellen Visual Acuities

4 Meters 6 Meters 20 Feet Decimal Fraction LogMAR

4/40 6/60 20/200 0.10 þ1.0

4/32 6/48 20/160 0.125 þ0.9
4/25 6/38 20/125 0.16 þ0.8
4/20 6/30 20/100 0.20 þ0.7
4/16 6/24 20/80 0.25 þ0.6
4/12.6 6/20 20/63 0.32 þ0.5
4/10 6/15 20/50 0.40 þ0.4
4/8 6/12 20/40 0.50 þ0.3
4/6.3 6/10 20/32 0.63 þ0.2
4/5 6/7.5 20/25 0.80 þ0.1
4/4 6/6 20/20 1.00 0.0
4/3.2 6/5 20/16 1.25 0.1
4/2.5 6/3.75 20/12.5 1.60 0.2
4/2 6/3 20/10 2.00 0.3

From Ferris FL III, Kassoff A, Bresnick GH, Bailey I. New visual acuity charts for clinical research. Am J Ophthalmol 1982;94:91–96.

302 AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY SEPTEMBER 2016