Celebrating the establishment of the Jampel Endowed Chair are (from left): Dr. Gary Abrams, Dr. Robert Frank, Karni Frank, Joan Jampel and Dr. Robert Jampel.

The distinguished career of former Kresge Eye Institute (KEI) director and noted ophthalmologist, Dr. Robert Jampel, has been recognized by the School of Medicine with the establishment of the Robert S. Jampel, MD, PhD, Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology.

The endowment was announced at an April 14 reception at the Detroit Athletic Club, at which Dr. Jampel and his wife, Joan, were the guests of honor. Addressing the more than 100 reception attendees, KEI’s current director, Dr. Gary Abrams, praised Dr. Jampel for his leadership of the institute, his pioneering research work and his work as a clinician.

A native of New York City, Dr. Jampel came to Detroit in 1970 to chair WSU’s Department of Ophthalmology and to serve as director of the Kresge Eye Institute. Over the next 22 years, his leadership allowed the university and the institute to recruit world-class clinical faculty and research scientists.

Clinical ophthalmologists of the institute, who are also WSU faculty members, treat more than 60,000 patients and perform nearly 4,000 surgical procedures annually.

Retiring from his administrative responsibilities in 1992, Dr. Jampel now devotes his time to research, writing and teaching.

The Robert S. Jampel, MD, PhD, Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology will provide approximately $1.5 million for WSU to advance research into the mechanisms of eye disease and the development of new methods of treatment.