Hemant Khanna appointed to NIH study section

Hemant Khanna, PhD Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School has been appointed to serve on the Diseases and Pathophysiology of the Visual System (DPVS) Study Section. Dr. Khanna’s term runs from July 2020 to June 2024. 

The DPVS study section reviews applications regarding disorders of the retina and optic nerve, ranging from investigations of etiology or pathogenesis to diagnosis, detection, treatment, or prevention. The studies that involve human subjects, clinical proposals, and animal models of ocular disease for both basic and translational research are reviewed. 

"Study sections review grant applications submitted to the NIH, make recommendations on these applications to the appropriate NIH national advisory council or board and survey the status of research in their fields of science.  These functions are of great value to medical and allied research in this country," said Dr. Noni Byrnes, Director, Center of Scientific Review. 

"Members are selected on the basis of their demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals, and other significant scientific activities, achievements and honors,” according to Byrnes.

"I am honored to have been invited to serve on the DPVS study section,” says Dr. Khanna. "I take it as an opportunity to participate in the peer review process of the studies that are essential for medical and allied research in this country.” 

A member of the UMass Ophthalmology faculty since 2010, Khanna received a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Delhi in India. He completed his postdoctoral training in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at University of Michigan, Ann Abror. He has received multiple NIH grants and has been serving as an ad-hoc NIH study section member since 2014. He recently took on the role of leading the 'Basic Mechanisms and Preclinical Studies’ section of the Advanced Ocular Therapeutics Program of the UMass Chan Medical School.