Remembering a legend: EURETINA members speak about the Ramin Tadayoni Award

Ramin Tadayoni speaks at the 2023 EURETINA Congress. (Image courtesy EURETINA)

In April, the retina community was shocked by the sudden loss of Ramin Tadayoni, MD, PhD. Prof Tadayoni was president of the European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA) At the time of his passing, Prof Tadayoni had just begun his 2-year term as EURETINA president.

In the months that followed, Anat Loewenstein, MD, MHA, previously president elect of EURETINA, assumed the title of president.

Speaking to Ophthalmology Times Europe, Prof Loewenstein discussed Prof Tadayoni’s legacy, the work she is doing to honour his vision of EURETINA and the inaugural Ramin Tadayoni award, to be presented at this year’s EURETINA congress in Barcelona, Spain, 19-22 September.

The Ramin Tadayoni Award

In June, EURETINA announced the Ramin Tadayoni Award. Established in memory of Professor Tadayoni, the annual award will grant €30,000 for research support, and an additional €5,000 directly to the candidate.

“This award is specifically intended to be for young retina specialists, to support them in their research. It’s a nice sum of money, and I’m sure that it will make an impact in the world of retina,” Prof Loewenstein said. “Ramin passed away after 4 months of his presidency, and because I was the president-elect, I need to continue right after him, which is not easy. Ramin, over the years, really supported me, and I want to continue his legacy.”

Professor Loewenstein also expressed special gratitude to Oculis Holding AG for supporting the award as a joint venture with EURETINA. In the future, the EURETINA board hopes to widen industry support for the award, to support a full fellowship, or more, on an annual basis, she said. “I’m grateful to the EURETINA board for agreeing and establishing the award, and to Oculis for supporting it this year,” Prof Loewenstein said. “I am hoping this is just the beginning for this award, and all the good it can do in the retina community.”

Supporting the next generation

Prof Loewenstein credits Prof Tadayoni with helping her become president-elect of EURETINA, and remembered him as a steadfast champion of inclusivity. “His legacy was to do more to make our society a real society—one that not only has a meeting, but also has other purposes, such as mentorship programmes, supporting women in retina, providing and establishing various guidelines on controversial topics, and being an accessible educational resource.”

The EURETINA board in 2022. (Image courtesy Bahram Bodaghi, MD, PHD, FEBO)

Prof Tadayoni valued continued, significant education for young retina specialists. “Together, we established the mentorship programme of EURETINA, which pairs young retina specialists with a personal mentor to guide them through a research project. He was chairing, with me, all the mentorship meetings,” Prof Loewenstein recalled. “Every time that he needed to support young, rising retina stars, he would do so wholeheartedly.”

Arshad M. Khanani, MD, MA, FASRS, said more than anything, Prof Tadayoni had hope for the future and a steadfast belief in the capabilities of the next generation.

“Ramin believed in innovation, bringing new treatment options for our patients and training the next generation of retina specialists,” Dr Khanani said. This award combines all those aspects together to continue Ramin’s legacy.”

Bahram Bodaghi, MD, PHD, FEBO, remembered Prof Tadayoni's wide range of interests, within and beyond ophthalmology. "He appreciated all retina subspecialties, but he had a major interest for myopia," Prof Bodaghi remembered. "His surgical skills were unanimously recognised and admired by all. He was also very attentive to general culture, geopolitics, the discovery of new civilizations and poetry."

The tributes to Prof Tadayoni, he added, contain a laundry list of character traits: his "exceptional personality" was a unique blend of generosity, kindness, openness to all, humility, honesty, friendship and a true passion for academic excellence.

Loyal, a legend, a leader

By all accounts, Prof Tadayoni went above and beyond as a friend, in much the same way he did as a leader in retina research. Dr Khanani, who considered Prof Tadayoni a beloved and admired friend, said it was easy to get along with the late retina leader from day one.

“He always cheered for young retina specialists and greeted everyone with a smile,” Dr Khanani said. “He was always kind and a team player.”

Ramin Tadayoni, Alistair Laidlaw and Bahram Bodaghi. (Image courtesy Bahram Bodaghi, MD, PHD, FEBO)

When asked to describe Prof Tadayoni in a one-word catchphrase, Dr Khanani offered up “leader” and “legend” as suitable summaries. Prof Bodaghi agreed with the latter as a fitting tribute. "Ramin Tadayoni was a giant in ophthalmology," Prof Bodaghi said. "He will remain in our memories as a legend."

Ramin Tadayoni presenting alongside Arshad Khanani and Frank Holz. (Image courtesy of Arshad Khanani, MD, MA, FASRS.)

Prof Loewenstein was torn between two descriptors: “loyal” and “professional.”

Prof Tadayoni and Dr Khanani following a symposium at EURETINA. (Image courtesy of Arshad Khanani, MD, MA, FASRS.)

“On the one hand, he was extremely professional, he looked only at evidence-based data. And on the other hand, he was loyal to his coworkers and to his friends, and to me,” Prof Loewenstein said.

“He didn’t look at all for opportunities to benefit himself," she continued. "He really thought about the good of EURETINA, the good of retina specialists, and the good of retina patients.”

Dr Khanani also described Prof Tadayoni as relentlessly positive and selfless. “He was a great teacher, mentor and a motivator who was always available and willing to help,” he said. “Ramin took pride in mentorship and was genuinely happy in seeing his colleagues succeed.”

Prof Tadayoni's wisdom continues to live on in the colleagues he inspired. "His collaborators quote him very often: 'There is no obstacle that we cannot overcome with unfailing strength and determination,'" Prof Bodaghi said.

Prof Loewenstein said that when she began working with Prof Tadayoni as part of the EURETINA board’s executive committee, she noticed that he put a lot of effort, time and personal resources into the group. “I noticed that he was leading a group by working together in friendship,” she said. “And I remember, very fondly, the way that meetings were done under his leadership.” When Prof Tadayoni was elected EURETINA president, Prof Loewenstein wasn’t surprised.

“We knew each other for many years, and it was, to me, so natural that he became the leader,” she said. “But he was a leader for me even before that.”