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Tara a. mccannel, mD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Director of the Ophthalmic Oncology Center
Member of the Jules Stein Eye Institute
ReseaRch summaRy
Metastatic Ocular Melanoma
Dr. McCannel’s primary research interest is metastatic
ocular melanoma. Under her direction, the Ophthalmic
Oncology Laboratory is studying molecular markers
in ocular melanoma to provide prognostic information
to patients and advance understanding of metastatic
disease. Discovery of candidate genes from tissue
of patients undergoing surgical treatment for ocular
melanoma is being explored. This information will
be important to establish a better understanding of
the biology of metastatic ocular melanoma and help
develop better treatments for this cancer. New modalities
are being investigated to predict, detect, and
ultimately treat choroidal melanoma metastasis.
surgical approaches to
Vitreoretinal Disease and cancer
Dr. McCannel is both a vitreoretinal surgeon and an
ophthalmic oncologist. She manages the spectrum of
vitreoretinal disease in addition to the surgical management
of ocular melanoma, allowing patients to benefit
maximally from her wide range of surgical prognostic
and therapeutic expertise.
Vitrectomy with silicone oil placement is a novel therapeutic
strategy, which was discovered at UCLA to
reduce radiation exposure to the healthy structures of
the eye during plaque surgery for melanoma treatment.
Dr. McCannel offers this potentially sight-saving tech-
nique to patients who need radiation treatment.
health Psychology and Ocular melanoma
Central to incorporating an integrative approach to
health care, the concerns and wishes of the patient as
a whole are important aspects of cancer management.
In collaboration with the UCLA Department of Health
Psychology and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer
Center, Dr. McCannel works closely with health psychologists
who are interested in providing clinical care
while researching factors, which predict psychological
adjustment to cancer.
Public Service
Reviewer for many scientific journals
Research Grants
American Association of Cancer Research,
Career Development Award for Translational
Cancer Research: High Resolution Cytogenetic Study of
Archival Metastatic Choroidal Melanoma, 7/1/08–12/30/11
Faculty | McCannel 53