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A Cardiff University scientist is to receive a prestigious international prize in recognition of outstanding research breaking new ground in the understanding of the eye and its disorders.

Professor Wolfgang Drexler, from the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, will receive the Cogan Award from the American Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

The Cogan Award is presented annually in recognition of a researcher, 40 years of age or younger, who has made important and worthwhile contributions to research in ophthalmology or visual science that are directly related to disorders of the human eye or visual system, and who shows substantial promise for future research.

Professor Drexler was selected to receive the award for his role in the development of the Optical Coherence Tomography technique leading to unprecedented applications in the diagnosis and better understanding of retinal diseases. This technique is similar to ultrasound imaging, but enables non-invasive high-resolution three dimensional visualisation of the internal microstructure as well as function of the eye, especially the retina, using special laser light instead of ultrasound.

Professor Drexler said: "This prize is an honourable reward for the excellent accomplishments of the members of my group and co-workers, an important appreciation for the School as well as Cardiff University and a clear indicator of the current importance of multidisciplinary research, especially in the field of biomedical imaging"

Professor Tim Wess, Head of the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, said: "I congratulate Professor Drexler on this outstanding achievement. This award adds to Cardiff's internationally reputation for the highest standards of academic research in optometry and vision sciences."

Professor Drexler is the holder of one of Cardiff University's new 'link chairs', appointed to lead major interdisciplinary researc
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Contact: Professor Wolfgang Drexler
drexlerw@cardiff.ac.uk
029-208-74499
Cardiff University
17-May-2007