Peng Qing-hua is the professor, chief physician, and doctoral supervisor and Vice-President of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine. He is the director of its TCM Diagnosis Research Institute as well as the director of the National TCM Center for Fundus Diseases and the Ophthalmic Scientific Research Laboratory. He serves as the pacesetter of the key discipline and the key specialty of the State Administration of TCM in the 10 ^th and 11 ^th Five-Year Plan period. Dr. Peng is also the academic leader of national key discipline and Hunan provincial key discipline as well as a member of the Academic Degrees Committee and Academic Committee of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine.

During his distinguished career he has been the recipient of many prizes, including the National Award for Young Teachers in Universities by the Ministry of Education; The Award for Young Scientists in Hunan Province; The Young and Middle-aged Expert with Outstanding Contribution by the Ministry of Health; The National 100 Outstanding Young TCM Doctors, The Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine Contribution Award; The Science and Technology Star of China Association of Chinese Medicine (CACM). He has been awarded the Government Special Allowance by State Council since 2002, and top candidate for 121 talents of Hunan province as well as the New Century Talents Project. Based on his contributions, he was appointed to the positions of vice-director of Ophthalmology Specialty Committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS); vice-chairman of the Society of Ophthalmology of CACM; vice-chairman of the Ophthalmology Specialty Committee of Chinese Association of Integrative Medicine (CAIM); deputy secretary general of the Registration Committee of Overseas TCM Practitioners of WFCMS; executive director of the Hunan Association of Chinese Medicine and chairman of the Hunan Integrated Traditional Chinese and Biomedical Ophthalmology Committee. He has acted as a specialist for the National Natural Science Foundation of China and he has been a consulting specialist for the international cooperation project supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the programs of national 973 programs in biological medicine field, and the national Chinese medicinal New Drug. He has been the chief examiner of national Traditional Chinese Medical Licensing Examination in Hunan province; and member of WHO project of International Classification of Diseases in Traditional Medicine.

Prof. Peng Qing-hua has been in charge of 38 scientific research projects at the national, ministerial, and provincial levels. His work has been awarded second prize 6 times and third prize, 7 times. Two of his papers have been awarded academic excellence at the ministerial and provincial levels. The awarding institutions include the Scientific and Technological Advancement by the Ministry of Education, the Science and Technology Award by CAIM, the Science and Technology Award by CACM, the Scientific and Technological Advancement by Hunan province, the Scientific and Technological Advancement by SATCM. Other awards and prizes include 15 items of scientific, technological and educational achievement awards at provincial and departmental levels.

He is also the editor-in-chief of 12 textbooks and monographs, including TCM Ophthalmology, Integrated Chinese and Western Medical Ophthalmology, and Medicine for Fundus Diseases. He has been the associate editor of 9 textbooks and monographs including TCM Ophthalmology and Integrated Traditional Chinese and Biomedical Ophthalmology, and Clinic Research of TCM Ophthalmology. He is a member of the editorial board of 16 books. He has published more than 400 pieces of papers in professional journals like International Journal of Ophthalmology and Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology as well as in international and domestic academic conferences like World Ophthalmology Congress and Asia-pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress.

He has mentored 19 doctoral and 65 master students, 6 of whom have graduated with Excellent Doctoral or Master Dissertation Reward accredited by the Hunan Provincial Government.

Prof. Peng Qing-hua has been an associate-editor of Journal of Chinese Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology, a standing member of editorial board of International Journal of Ophthalmology and Chinese Journal of Modern Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat. He is a member of editorial board and invited reviewer of more than 10 core journal including the China Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine, The Journal of Traditional Chinese Ophthalmology, The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine University of Hunan, and The Hunan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He has devoted himself to the research of preventing and treating fundus diseases, glaucoma, and ocular surface diseases with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine.

Cara Frank has been a practitioner and teacher of Acupuncture and Chinese herbology since 1993. She is a popular lecturer, known especially for her clear and humorous teaching style. Ms. Frank has demystified Chinese Herbology for acupuncturists, doctors, nurses, veterinarians, botanists and researchers.

Ms. Frank’s initial training was at the New England School of Acupuncture where she is a 1983 graduate. She is a 1988 graduate of Empire State College, where she received a Bachelors of Professional Studies in Chinese Medical Studies. Her post-graduate herbal training was with Ted Kaptchuk, OMD, Simon Mills and at the Xi Yuan Hospital in Beijing, China. It was in China, that her passion with Chinese herbal medicine took root. Recently, Ms. Frank has studied Classical Formulas with Dr Huang Huang of Nanjing. Ms. Frank was one of the item writers for the first Chinese Herbal Certificate Examination offered by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncture ＆ Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

In 1991, she founded China Herb Company, which was the first mail order compounding Chinese herbal dispensary in the United States. Ms. Frank has developed a line of her own herbal formulas, including formulas for cancer support, respiratory and pediatric.

Ms. Frank is the founder of Six Fishes Chinese Medicine, an acupuncture and herb practice with two locations in Philadelphia. She leads a team of TCM practitioners who specialize in herbology, EENT disorders, pediatrics and internal medicine.

Ms. Frank has been an instructor of Chinese Herbology since 1996. She was the director of the department of Chinese herbology at the Tai Sophia Institute from 2003 to 2011. Currently, Ms. Frank is the Director of the Department of Chinese Herbology at the Won Institute of Graduate Studies in Glenside, PA. Ms. Frank created the entire department, designed an innovative curriculum and is the primary instructor of the program. Using classical texts along with the modern teaching methodology and the latest technology, she developed a website for the class that included photographs, podcasts, handouts, class blogs to enhance the students learning experience.

Ms. Frank lives with her husband, children and puppy in Center City, Philadelphia. She was an accomplished chef in her former career, and an avid gardener. When she isn’t busy with a full acupuncture and Chinese Medicine practice or teaching, she can usually be found tending to her award-winning garden or in her kitchen cooking something delicious.

Ms. Frank is the English language editor of this book and the author of its commentary.

Portia Barnblatt, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in United States. Dr. Barnblatt holds a Doctoral Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and has been practicing Chinese Medicine since 1997. She has a private office in San Francisco. Besides working at her private office, Dr. Barnblatt is also a Chief Acupuncture Doctor at Chinese Hospital in San Francisco as well as a Clinical Supervisor at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco. In 2004, Dr. Barnblatt served as a Research Acupuncturist for the post-open heart surgery patient at the Pacific Medical Center in UCSF. In 2007, Dr. Barnblatt received an Award from San Francisco Mayor’s Office for her excellent work in the Chinese Medicine field and her service to the community. She is a member of Acupuncturist Without Border. In 2011, Dr. Barnblatt helped Shanghai TCM University to develop its First Bi-Lingual teaching program in Acupuncture and Tui Na Department. Dr. Barnblatt just finished her work as a Chief English Editor and Translator for the “TCM Fundamental Theory” textbook by Shanghai TCM University. Dr. Barnblatt has a great passion for the work she does and goes to China every year to further her knowledge in the Chinese Medicine Field.