The University of Lodz in Poland has awarded the prestigious Medal Universitatis Lodziensis Amico Prizeto Kai Kaarniranta, Professor of Ophthalmology from the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Eastern Finland. Kaarniranta is honoured for his outstanding achievements in the translational AMD research.
Since over a decade, the Medal Universitatis Lodziensis Amico has annually recognized a mid-career person whose leadership and service have led to important advancements.
Kai Kaarniranta is a renowned expert in ophthalmology and a pioneer in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) research. He has not only advanced the understanding of how retinal cell types interact, but he has also substantially contributed to our knowledge of the mechanisms of cell-type-specific diseases during oxidative stress. Together with his team, he is aiming in developing novel therapies for the AMD care. Kaarniranta’s research is opening new pathways to help AMD people with vision loss lead full and productive lives. What further distinguishes Kaarniranta's research is his interdisciplinary approach.
Kaarniranta said, “It is an honour to receive this prestigious award from University of Lodz. As a scientist, I am committed to creating a link between basic science and medicine by converting our research on AMD into effective treatments for patients with retinal diseases.”
Kaarniranta has been a Professor at Institute of Medicine of the University of Eastern Finland since 2007 and Chief Physician at the Department of Ophthalmology, Kuopio University Hospital, since 2008. He earned his MD at the University of Kuopio in Kuopio, and his PhD from the Department of Anatomy at the University of Kuopio in Kuopio. After being a Junior Fellow at his Alma mater University, he started his research group in 2007. He is the first ever Editor in Chief of Acta Ophthalmologica from Finland since 2020.
