About the new building project:

• The 215,000-square-foot building will be adjacent to the current Kellogg Eye Center research tower on Wall Street in Ann Arbor
• 72,000 square feet will be used for Eye Center clinics, research and education
• Two floors will house the Delores S. and William K. Brehm Center for Type 1 Diabetes Research and Analysis
• 11,000 square feet will be designated for other U-M Medical School research space
• Clinical space will increase from 50 outpatient rooms today to 73 rooms
• Operating and procedure rooms will increase from 4 to 6
• This is the first building to be proposed following the UMHS announcement of its master plan, which names the Wall Street area, where Kellogg is located, as one of three areas for future growth of medical facilities.

About the current Kellogg Eye Center :

• The center is home to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, part of the U-M Health System (UMHS) and the U-M Medical School.
• The Department of Ophthalmology was established in 1872, making it the fourth oldest ophthalmology department in the country.
• In 1985, the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center research tower was built, allowing the Department to bring its clinicians and scientists, previously located throughout the U-M Health System, into one facility.
• Eye center clinics in Ann Arbor are currently located in two buildings, which were originally built for other purposes, immediately next to the research tower. One was built as a geriatric service, the other as a nursing home.
• U-M ophthalmologists also see patients at other UMHS locations in southeast Michigan, including the Livonia Center for Specialty Care, the Canton Health Center, the Brighton Health Center, the Briarwood Health Center in southern Ann Arbor, and in office locations in Milford, West Bloomfield and Ypsilanti.
• For more information, visit www.kellogg.umich.edu

About the Brehm Center for Type 1 Diabetes Research & Analysis:

• The goal of the center is to accelerate the search for a cure for Type 1 diabetes, through a new paradigm for the search enterprise.
• The center was conceived by Bill and Dee Brehm, a McLean, VA couple. Dee Brehm has survived for more than 50 years with Type 1 diabetes, without complications.
• Systems Analysis and Medical Informatics are among the innovative tools that the center will employ to accelerate the pace of the search for a cure .
• The location in the Eye Center will provide opportunities for collaboration among diabetes and vision scientists, particularly on vision loss caused by diabetes.
• For more information, visit www.med.umich.edu/brehm

Growth in U-M eye care patient demand and vision research funding:

• Outpatient visits to the main Kellogg location in Ann Arbor increased from 36,852 in 1985 to 78,228 in 2005.
• Eight satellite ophthalmology clinics accounted for 48,961 patient visits in 2005
• Patient visits have increased an average of 8 percent per year since 1985 and 11 percent in each of the last seven years
• 5,883 surgeries were performed at Kellogg this year, a threefold increase since 1985
• Kellogg scientists' research funding totals $8.5 million this year, up from $1.5 million in 1985
• Further growth in demand for U-M eye care is anticipated. Currently 57 percent of U-M eye patients are over the age of 60, the age group at highest risk for age-related eye diseases such as glaucoma and AMD. By 2025, the number of Michigan residents over the age of 65 will increase by 52 percent.

Funding for the new building

Cost: $120 million

• $30 million from Bill and Dee Brehm for the Brehm Center
• $10 million from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
• The balance from U-M Hospitals and Health Centers resources and additional philanthropic gifts made through the Michigan Difference campaign.

Programs created or expanded in the new Eye Center :

• Molecular Diagnostic Testing Center for eye gene testing. Kellogg was first in the country to be federally certified for an ophthalmic molecular diagnostic laboratory. Testing at the molecular level is important because some diseases cannot be diagnosed by a clinical eye exam. By analyzing DNA samples, researchers can distinguish among disease types and offer a precise diagnosis. The Eye Center currently screens patients for 11 retina genes, and processes approximately 100 samples per year. The activity will increase as new genes are identified and treatments advance.
• Genetic Counseling Center will expand to help patients weigh the benefits of genetic testing, and, if they choose to proceed, to discuss how the findings might affect their lives. Currently two counselors serve Eye Center patients, including those enrolled in the Family AMD study.
• Ophthalmic Translational Research Center will focus on accelerating the process by which basic research yields practical clinical applications. Often referred to as “bench to bedside” research, the goal is to hasten the development of treatments and therapies for patients suffering from visual disorders.
• Center for Retinal and Macular Degeneration has, since 1990, brought together scientists who study inherited eye diseases—primarily retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration—that cause progressive vision loss and ultimately blindness. The Center's vision scientists use many approaches in their studies: human molecular genetics; cell biology, physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology; and electrophysiology and other gene expression techniques.
• Program for Diabetic Retinopathy and Vascular Disease will include both clinical and laboratory research studies to investigate retinal vascular diseases. The primary goal is to prevent and treat the sight-threatening complications of diabetes.
• Core Facilities provide equipment, technology and expertise to be shared among laboratories. Currently Kellogg has six Core Modules funded by the National Institutes of Health, and has plans to add two more.
• Ultrafast Lasers The Kellogg Eye Center was the first in the nation to apply the femtosecond laser to eye surgery. In collaboration with the School of Engineering, Kellogg researchers developed the IntraLase laser, now considered the standard for LASIK surgery. Kellogg is currently developing new applications of this laser for glaucoma surgery and cornea transplants.
• Expanded Clinical Trials Center Recent clinical trials available to patients include evaluations of an implantable miniature telescope for patients with AMD; a study of rhuFab (Lucentis) a new treatment for wet AMD; and a multi-center trial evaluating treatments for glaucoma and related quality of life issues.

About eye disease

Blindness or low vision affects 3.3 million Americans age 40 and over, or one in 28, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). This figure is projected to reach 5.5 million by the year 2020.

The NEI reports that the four eye diseases most common among people 40+ years of age are: age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataract.

• Age related macular degeneration (AMD), is a progressive eye disease that destroys central vision needed for reading and driving. 9.1 million Americans have intermediate to advanced-stage AMD. As yet there is no treatment for “dry” AMD, the most prevalent form of the disease. Since 1996, the Kellogg Eye Center has seen a 67% increase in the number of patients with age-related macular degeneration.
• Glaucoma is a group of diseases causing optic nerve damage. Once nerve damage and vision loss occur, it is permanent. Glaucoma affects over 2 million Americans, a number that will increase 50% by 2020. It is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans. Half of those with glaucoma do not know they have it.
• Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes causing damage to blood vessels of the retina. People with untreated diabetes are said to be 25 times more at risk for blindness than the general population. Diabetic retinopathy affects 4.1 million Americans over the age of 40 and that number will increase by 75% by 2020.
• Cataract is a clouding of the natural lens, most often associated with age. Though it is highly treatable, it is the leading cause of blindness in the world. Cataract affects 20 million Americans over the age of 40; that number will increase by 50% by 2020.

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