Future vision scientists
Conference Awards and Presentations
We are proud to share that two members of our lab have been recognized with competitive travel awards to present their research at the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) Annual Meeting in Boston.
Dr. Rohit Dhakal has received a Trainee Travel Award from the Civitan International Research Center. This award is a well-deserved recognition of the excellence of his research on the mechanisms underlying eye growth regulation and refractive development. Dr. Dhakal will present his paper, “Myopia Control Mechanism of Dual-Focus Contact Lenses: Short-Term Effects on Local Retinal Defocus, Retinal Activity, and Choroidal Thickness,” on Wednesday, October 8, from 8:45–9:00 AM.
Adarsha Shah (OD/MS student) has been awarded the American Academy of Optometry Student Travel Fellowship. Notably, student presentations are rarely selected as papers at the AAO meeting, making this recognition especially significant. Adarsha will present his paper, “Amber Light for Myopia Control: A Preliminary Analysis of the Short-Term Effect on Vitreous Chamber Depth in Young Adults,” on Thursday, October 9, from 3:00–3:30 PM.
Dr. Dhakal’s ARVO presentation Well Received
Dr. Rohit Dhakal, a postdoctoral researcher in the Khanal Lab, presented his poster, “Relationship Between Local Retinal and Choroidal Signals of Eye Growth in Humans,” at the 2025 ARVO Annual Meeting. His work was very well received by attendees and sparked thoughtful discussion. Congratulations, Rohit!
Khanal lab awarded an NIH grant
Dr. Safal Khanal and his collaborators, Drs. Weise, Gawne, and Norton received an R21 grant from the National Eye Institute for a clinical trial of a myopia control technology in children.
Khanal lab well represented at the 19th IMC
Dr. Safal Khanal and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Rohit Dhakal represented the Khanal lab at the 19th International Myopia Conference. Rohit’s talk on retinal responses to chromatic cues was well received – congratulations!
Dr. Dhakal receives national and international travel grants
Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Rohit Dhakal has received travel grants from the UAB Office of Postdoctoral Education and the International Myopia Conference organizing committee. Congratulations!
Dr. Khanal honored with a national award
Dr. Khanal was recognized nationally with the Irvin M. and Beatrice Borish Award from the American Academy of Optometry (AAO). This award recognizes an outstanding young scientist or clinician scientist who shows exceptional promise in conducting independent optometric research directly related to the etiology, prevention, detection, diagnosis, or management of clinical eye disorders. For more information, click here.
Khanal Lab awarded a clinical trial grant
The Khanal Laboratory received a research grant totaling $325,000 from the Sicari-Somers Foundation. These funds will support a randomized controlled clinical trial to investigate the safety and efficacy of a novel intervention to control myopia progression in children.
Postdocs receive recognition at ARVO
Congratulations to postdocs Nilda Sanchez-Castellanos, PhD and Rohit Dhakal, PhD who were selected for the ARVO Members-In-Training Outstanding Poster Competition at ARVO 2024. Nilda received the best poster award for the Anatomy/Pathology section.
Khanal Lab receives industry funding
Khanal lab received research funds totaling $150,000 from an industry partner in recognition of the lab’s research significance and excellence.
