A graduate of the Medical School in Jerusalem (1971) and a PhD in Immunology (1969) of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Finished residency in Ophthalmology at Hadassah University Hospital in 1976. Held additional appointments as follows:
Visiting Scientist and a senior clinical staff member at the National Eye Institute during 1976-78 and 1983-84;
Distinguished Visiting Scholar at New York Beth Israel Medical Center in 1988;
Visiting Professor at the Ophthalmology Department, Creteil, France (1999);
Professor of the Universities and Hospital of Paris, France (2001).
Since 1986, Director of Pediatric Ophthalmology Unit and the Immuno-Ophthalmology and Uveitis Service and Head of Laboratory for Ocular Angiogenesis and Immuno-Ophthalmology at Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Appointed Associate Professor of Ophthalmology (1981) and Professor of Ophthalmology in 1986, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Certified American Board of Ophthalmology since 1978.
Fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology since 1979.
Visiting Professor and Invited Speaker
1976 National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
1976 Retina Foundation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
1977 Department of Ophthalmology, Buffalo, New York, USA
1977 Department of Ophthalmology, Yale University, New Haven, CT. USA
1978 Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
1978 Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
1979 Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
1980 Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Freiburg, Germany
1980 Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Essen, Germany
1981 National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
1982 Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
1983 National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
1983 Proctor Foundation, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
1984 Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
1985 Departments of Ophthalmology and Internal Medicine, Hospital de la Salpetriere, Paris, France
1985 Department of Ophthalmology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
1987 Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
1988 The Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute, Amsterdam, Holland
1988 Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Academy, Gdansk, Poland
1988 Department of Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, USA
1989 National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
1989 Department of Ophthalmology, Taegu, South Korea
1989 Department of Ophthalmology, Kwanju, South Korea
1989 Thailand Ophthalmological Society, Bangkok, Thailand
1990 Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
1991 Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, England
1992 Department of Ophthalmology, Escuala Paulistica, Sao Paulo, Brazil
1993 Department of Ophthalmology, Prague, Czech Republic and Kosice, Slovak Republic
1993 Department of Ophthalmology, Munchen, Germany
1994 Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
1994 Department of Ophthalmology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan
1995 Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Sao Joao, Porto, Portugal
1995 Special Lecturer, 8th Annual CIBA Vision Symposium, Tokyo, Japan
1996 Department of Ophthalmology, Hopital des Specialites, Rabat, Morocco
1996 Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Casablanca, Morocco
1997 73rd Congress of the Spanish Ophthalmological Society
3rd Forum Ophthalmologicum, Brno, Czech Republic
Symposium on Behcets Disease, Coimbra, Portugal
2001 Congress of Spanish Ophthalmological Society, Barcelona, Spain
2001-2002 Appointed Professor of the Universities and Hospitals in Paris, France
2001 – Present Associate Scientist, INSERM, France
2001-2002 Appointed Professor of the Universities and Hospitals in Paris, France
2001 – 2009 Visiting Scientist, INSERM, France
2004 – 2005 Professor, University Paris Ouest, France
Prizes and Awards
1977 Recipient of Dr. Yassky Award for Achievements in Ophthalmology, New York, November 1977
1979 Recipient of the Hebrew University Medical School Faculty Prize for outstanding research in Ophthalmology
1987 Recipient of the Hadassah Medical Relief Association Distinguished Service Award
1988 New York, Beth Israel Medical Center Distinguished Visiting Scholar for 1988
1988 Guest of Honor, Polish Academy of Sciences, and Guest Speaker, Annual Meeting of the Polish Ophthalmological Society, Gdansk, Poland
1988 Recipient of Alcon Research Institute’s Award for outstanding contributions in the field of Vision Research ($50,000 award)
1991 Guest of Honor, Portuguese Ophthalmological Society Meeting, Lisbon, Portugal
1992 Guest of Honor, Brazilian Ophthalmological Society Meeting, Sao Paulo, Brazil
1992 Guest of Honor, Royal Australian College of Ophthalmologists, Sydney, Australia
1993 Guest of Honor, International Symposium on Clinic and Therapy of Uveitis, Lisbon, Portugal
1995 Guest of Honor, Japan Ophthalmological Society Yearly Symposium, Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan
1995 First Regner Lecturer, S:t Eriks Eye Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
1996 Guest of Honor, Annual Greek Ophthalmological Society Meeting, Thessaloniki, Greece
1997 Guest of Honor, Annual Spanish Ophthalmological Society, Granada, Spain
1998 Guest of Honor, Annual Moroccan Ophthalmological Society, Casablanca, Morocco
1999 Recipient of Honorary Professor of the Miguel Hernandez University in Alicante, Spain
2002 Guest of Honor, 106th Annual Meeting Japanese Ophthalmological Society, Japan
2006 Guest of Honor, Annual Meeting, Philippines Academy of Ophthalmology.
2006 Guest of Honor, Annual Meeting, Argentine Society of Ophthalmology.
International Activities
- Past President, International Ocular Inflammation Society
- President, Mediterranean Ophthalmological Society
- Co-Chairman, International Panel on: “Guidelines for the Diagnosis and
Treatment of Intraocular Inflammation”
- Member, New York Academy of Sciences
- Member, International Strabismological Association
- Member, Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
- Member, International Ocular Inflammation Society
- Chairman, International Panel on: “Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Conjunctivitis”
- Member of the International Scientific Study Group on Behcet’s Disease
- Member of the Lions Club International Research Committee, American Diabetes Association
- Member of the International Committee for the Classification of Retinoblastoma
- Program Committee “JERMOV”, Joint European Research Meetings in Ophthalmology and Vision
- Member, International Members Subcommittee, ARVO
Scientific Activity
Papers (from 2000 – 2006)
Cela E, BenEzra D: Aniridia and Down Syndrome. Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, 37: 369-370, 2000
BenEzra D, Cohen E: Cataract Surgery in Children with Chronic Uveitis, Ophthalmology, 107: 1255-1260, 2000
BenEzra D. Cohen E, Karshai I: Phakic Posterior Chamber IOL for the Correction of Anisometropia and Treatment of Amblyopia. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 130: 292-296, 2000
BenEzra D, Cohen E, Maftzir G: Patterns of Intraocular Inflammation in Children. Bulletin de la Societe Belge d’Ophtalmologie, 279: 35-8, 2001
Behar-Cohen FF, BenEzra D,Einmahl S, Gurny R: Challenges of Intraocular Drug Delivery. European Pharmaceutical Review, p.35-39, 2001
Anteby I, Cohen E, Anteby E, BenEzra D: Ocular manifestations in children born after in-vitro-fertilization. Archives of Ophthalmology, 119: 1525-1529, 2001
Mauget-Faysse M, Quaranta M, Francoz N. BenEzra D: Incidental retinal phototoxicity associated with ingestion of photosensitizing drugs. Graefes Archives of Clinical Experimental Ophthalmology, 239: 501-508, 2001.
Anteby I, Cohen E, Karshai I, BenEzra D: Unilateral persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous: course and outcome. Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus 6: 92-99, 2002.
Alio J, BenEzra D: Intraocular Inflammation. Is there any Light at the end of the Tunnel? Highlights of Ophthalmology 30: 2-7, 2002
Alio J, BenEzra D: Intraocular Inflammation Guidelines. Investigation of the patient prior to Therapy in Anterior (ASII) or Posterior segment intraocular inflammations (PSII). Highlights of Ophthalmology 30: 8-10, 2002
M. Mauget-Faysse, L. Kodjikian, M. Quaranta, D. BenEzra, C. Trepsat, F. Mion, F. Megraud: Role de l’Helicobacter pylori dans la Chorioretinopathie sereuse centrale et l’epitheliopathie retinienne diffuse Journal French Ophtalmology, 25, 10, 1021-1025, 2002.
Alio JL, Chipont E, BenEzra D, Fakhry MA: International Ocular Inflammation Society, Study Group of Uveitic Cataract Surgery. Comparative performance of intraocular lenses in eyes with cataract and uveitis Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery 28: 2096-2108, 2002.
BenEzra D: In-vitro fertilization and retinoblastoma. Commentary. Lancet 361: 273-274, 2003.
Anteby I, Isaac M, BenEzra D: Hereditary Subluxated lenses: Visual performances and long-term follow-up after surgery. Ophthalmology 110:1344-1348, 2003
Berdugo M, Valamanesh F, Andrieu C, Klein C, BenEzra D, Courtois Y, Behar-Cohen F: Delivery of antisense oligonucleotide to the cornea by iontophoresis. Antisense Nucelic Acid Drug Development 13:107-114, 2003
Enk CD, Anteby I, Abramson N, Amer R, Amit Y, Bergshtein-Kronhaus T, Cohen E, Greenberg Z, Jonas F, Maayan S, Marva E, Strauss U, BenEzra D: Onchocerciasis among Ethiopian immigrants in Israel. Israel Medical Association Journal 5:485-488, 2003.
Enk CD, Gardlo K, Ruzicka T, BenEzra D: Onchocerciasis. Hautarzt 54:513-517, 2003 (German)
Bourges JL, Gautier SE, DElie F, Bejjani RA Jeanny JC, Gurny R, BenEzra D, Behar-Cohen FF: Ocular drug delivery targeting the retina and retinal pigment epithelium using polylactide nanoparticles. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 44: 3562-3569, 2003.
Bourges JL, Savodelli M, Dighiero P, Assouline M, Pouliquen Y, BenEzra D, Renard G, Behar-Cohen F: Recurrence of keratoconus characteristics: a clinical and histologic follow-up analysis of donor grafts. Ophthalmology 110: 1920-1925, 2003
Halhal M, Renard G, Courtois Y, BenEzra D, Behar-Cohen F.: Iontophoresis: from the lab to the bedside. Experimental Eye Research 78:751-7, 2004.
Bourges JL, Valamanesh F, Torriglia A, Jeanny JC, Savodelli M, Renard G, BenEzra D, de Kozak Y, Behar-Cohen F: Cornea graft endothelial cells undergo apoptosis by way of an alternate (caspase-independent) pathway. Transplantation 78: 316-323, 2004.
BenEzra D, Cohen E, Maftzir G: Uveitis in children and adolescents. British Journal of Ophthalmology September 2004 (in press)
Halhal M, Renard G, Courtois Y, BenEzra D, Behar-Cohen F.: Iontophoresis: from the lab to the bedside. Experimental Eye Research 78:751-7, 2004.
Jean-Louis Bourges, Fatemeh Valamanesh, Alicia Torriglia, Jean-Claude Jeanny, Michèle Savoldelli, Gilles Renard, David BenEzra, Yvonne de Kozak, Francine Behar-Cohen: Cornea graft endothelial cells undergo apoptosis by way of an alternate (caspase-independent) pathway. Transplantation 78: 316-323, 2004.
Riad Antoine Bejjani, David BenEzra, Hagit Cohen, Jutta Rieger, Charlotte Andrieu, Jean-Claude Jeanny, Gershon Golomb, Francine F. Behar-Cohen: Nanoparticles for gene delivery to retinal pigment epithelial cells. Molecular Vision 11: 124-132, 2005.
Nadia Normand, Fatemeh Valamanesh, Michèle Savoldelli, Frédéric Mascarelli, David BenEzra, Yves Courtois, Francine Behar-Cohen.: VP22 light controlled delivery of oligonucleotides to ocular cells in vitro and in vivo. Molecular Vision 11:184-191, 2005.
BenEzra D, Cohen E, Maftzir G: Uveitis in children and adolescents. British Journal of Ophthalmology 89: 444-448, 2005
I. Habil, E. Cohen. I. Karshai, F. Behar-Cohen, D. BenEzra: Spontaneous involution of autologous lenses and phacoanaphylaxis reaction in Stickler syndrome. British Journal of Ophthalmology 89: 1532-1533, 2005
Berdugo M, Andrieu-Soler C, Doat M, Courtois Y, BenEzra D and Behar-Cohen F.: Downregulation of ISR-1 expression causes inhibition of corneal angiogenesis. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 46; 4072-4078, 2005.
Bloquel C, Bejjani R. Bigey P, Bedioui F, Doat M, BenEzra D, Scherman D, Behar-Cohen F.: Plasmid electrotransfer of eye ciliary muscle: principles and therapeutic efficacy using hTNF-alpha soluble receptor in uveitis. FASEB J. 20:389-391, 2006.
F. Behar-Cohen, D. BenEzra, G. Soubrane, L. Jonet, J.C. Jeanny: Krypton laser photocoagulation induces retinal vascular remodeling rather than choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Experimental Eye Research 83:263-275, 2006.
Books
Forrester JV, Okada A, BenEzra D, Ohno S: Posterior Segment Intraocular Inflammation, Guidelines. Kugler Publications, The Netherlands, 1998. pp. 1-184.
BenEzra D: OCULAR INFLAMMATION: Basic and Clinical Concepts. Martin Dunitz Publishers, England, 1999. pp.1-512.
BenEzra D, Ohno S, Alio J, Secchi A (eds): Anterior Segment Intraocular Inflammation, Guidelines. Martin Dunitz Publishers, 2000, pp. 1-156
BenEzra D: Ocular Surface Inflammation – Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment. Highlights of Ophthalmology, Panama. 2003, pp. 1-266
BenEzra D: Blepharitis and Conjunctivitis. Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment. Glosa Publishers, Barcelona, Spain 2006
Member of Editorial Board of Scientific Journals
Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Current Eye Research
International Ophthalmology Clinics
European Journal of Ophthalmology
Ocular Immunology and Inflammation
Served as Guest Editor for the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, special issue on “Pediatric Cataract”.
Clinical Interest
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Immuno-Ophthalmology and Uveitis
- Genetic Therapy
- Refractive Surgery.