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Fields Medal winner Manjul Bhargava to give 2015 Commencement address, joining honorand Mark Abelson

Mark Abelson, Doctor of Science

If you have ever been prescribed an eye medication or treatment for an external eye disease, it’s likely that you have benefited from the lifelong work of Dr. Mark Abelson, one of the world’s leading eye doctors. His groundbreaking research in how clinical trials are structured has led to the development of some of the most prescribed drugs currently available for the treatment of eye diseases.

When it comes to bringing a new drug to market, the rigor and scientific methods used to study and ensure its safety and effectiveness are just as important as the science behind the drug itself. Abelson recognized this more than 40 years ago and began his lifelong work to improve the drug development process, which lead to the founding of Ora, Inc. Abelson currently serves as chief scientific officer of Ora, the world’s leading ophthalmic research and product development firm. Ora and its clients have, over the past 30 years, earned nearly three dozen approvals for medical treatments and devices marketed globally.

Born in Montreal, Canada, Abelson earned his bachelor’s and medical degrees from McGill University. He is a member of the Board of Trustees at the Schepens Eye Research Institute, clinical professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and surgeon emeritus at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. In addition, he served 10 years on the Medical Advisory Board to the Dean of McGill Medical School.