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The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) is the primary teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School for Ophthalmology. Dr. Joan Miller is the Chief of Ophthalmology at MEEI, and she is the Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School (HMS).
MEEI trains more than 120 ophthalmology residents (8 per year), clinical fellows, and research fellows each year. As an academic teaching hospital, teams of physicians and scientists regularly collaborate to both treat and study disorders affecting the eye. We have created a community within the Infirmary where leaders engage daily in innovative thinking, productive dialogue, and creative alliances – all with the goal of helping our patients and people everywhere save their vision.
MEEI’s multidisciplinary approach has resulted in safer, more effective ways to diagnose and treat eye diseases and many more breakthroughs are now on the horizon. Noteworthy discoveries include:
Additionally, MEEI is home to two of the best known basic science retinal disease research laboratories in the world, the Howe Laboratory and the Berman-Gund Laboratory. The Howe Laboratory is known for its basic research in retinal development, while the Berman-Gund Laboratory is known for its progress in genetics and retinal degenerations, particularly retinitis pigmentosa.
Following is a listing of MEEI physicians and scientists and a brief summary of the focus of their research aimed at better understanding, treating, preventing and curing eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, corneal disease, eye cancer and many others.
Dr. Applebury is one of nine principal investigators at the Howe Laboratory. She has a specific focus on retinal development.
Dr. Berson is a world-renowned expert in retinal degenerations who directs the Berman-Gund Laboratory and has led therapy trials for retinitis pigmentosa. He also collaborates in genetics of retinal degenerations.
Dr. Chen’s research efforts involve imaging the optic nerve and the retinal nerve fiber layer, the nerve tissue that lines the inner wall of the eyeball, by using an unprecedented high-speed, high-resolution imaging technique. With further development, the ability to better examine this area may provide earlier detection of glaucoma.
Dr. Cremers’ current research involves the relationship between angiogenesis (the process of new blood vessel growth) and the eye. Specifically, she is studying the role of angiogenesis in rosacea and ocular rosacea, as well as the use of topical angiogenesis medication in the treatment of periocular cancer.
Dr. Dana is the Director of the Cornea & Refractive Surgery Services at MEEI. He leads a large research program focused on transplantation surgery and novel strategies to promote transplant success; new treatments for dry eye syndromes; inflammatory and autoimmune corneal and ocular surface disorders; clinical trials in ocular inflammation, angiogenesis, and ocular surface disease; stem cell transplantation and ocular surface reconstruction. A comprehensive clinical and translational research program at MEEI is linked to Dr. Dana's basic science lab at the Schepens Eye Research Institute, a Harvard-affiliated institution, within walking distance of MEEI. See Dr. Dana's complete bio.
Dr. DeAngelis is working closely with Drs. Kim and Miller to identify the genes that cause age-related macular degeneration.
Dr. Dohlman’s research interests include corneal diseases and corneal physiology. He has refined a device called the “keratoprosthesis,” a tiny plastic window used to successfully restore vision to people previously blinded by severely damaged corneas due to trachoma, chemical burns or injury.
Dr. Gardiner is the Director of Eye Trauma and the Director of Ophthalmology Emergency Services. His research directly relates to his clinical work in comprehensive ophthalmology and emergency ophthalmology. Of note, MEEI provides New England's only 24-hour, 365 days-a-year dedicated eye emergency service.
Dr. Gragoudas was the pioneer of proton beam therapy to treat uveal melanoma, eye cancer in adults. He is the Director of the Infirmary’s Retina Service and his research interests also include development of new therapies for macular degeneration.
Dr. Grosskreutz is Co-Director of the Infirmary’s Glaucoma Service. Her research is focused on ocular neuroprotection, a strategy to protect the retinal ganglion cells so they do not die, as loss of these cells leads to irreversible blindness in glaucoma.
Dr. Hafezi-Moghadam is a full-time researcher who leads the Infirmary’s Angiogenesis Laboratory where he studies blood vessel barriers in the retina relative to diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Kim is collaborating with Drs. Miller and DeAngelis to study various aspects of the genetics of age-related macular degeneration. She leads many clinical trials in macular degeneration and works with Dr. Miller in experimental studies in ocular neovascularization.
Dr. Langston’s clinical and research interests are in corneal disease and she is an expert in viral infections of the eye, such as Herpes simplex (cold sores) and Herpes zoster (shingles).
Dr. Li has been exploring the molecular biology of retinal degenerations, as well as developing gene therapy for retinal disease in the Berman Gund Laboratory.
Dr. Loewenstein investigates the retina and vitreous disorders. He is currently working with Dr. Joseph Rizzo to develop a retinal chip that would give vision to the blind. He is also developing a computer simulated teaching tool to train residents in eye surgery.
Dr. Makino is a principal investigator in the Howe Laboratory working on electrophysiology in retinal development and degenerations.
Dr. Malicki has a specific interest in retinal development and is one of the principal investigators in the Howe Laboratory.
Dr. Miller’s research is focused on ocular neovascularization, particularly as it relates to macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Her research has led to new treatments for macular degeneration, particularly photodynamic therapy and therapy directed at the growth factor, VEGF. She also works with Drs. Kim and DeAngelis on genetics of AMD, and with Drs. Rizzo and Grosskreutz on ocular neuroprotection, investigating the mechanisms of cell death in retinal diseases and optic neuropathies.
Dr. Mukai is an expert in pediatric retinal disorders, including retinoblastoma (eye cancer). His research is aimed at understanding the molecular genetics of retinal diseases, new treatment approaches to retinoblastoma and retinal photography.
Dr. Louis Pasquale is Co-Director of the Glaucoma Service. The goal of his research is to prevent vision loss for patients with glaucoma by developing better detection strategies and by identifying environmental risk factors that could enable patients “at risk” for glaucoma to modify their lifestyles in time to protect their vision.
Dr. Pignoni is a principal investigator in the Howe Laboratory working on retinal development and progenitor cells.
Dr. Pineda’s research is primarily clinical, focused on corneal disease, cataract, and refractive surgery.
A glaucoma specialist, Dr. Rhee hopes to better understand how eye pressure is impacted by various medications that stimulate the drainage of fluid from the eye. He is also investigating how genes play a part in the eye’s drainage capacities.
Dr. Rizzo is the pioneer of a retinal computer chip to restore vision to patients blinded by retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa. He is also collaborating with Drs. Miller and Grosskreutz on ocular neuroprotection, investigating the mechanisms of cell death in retinal diseases and optic neuropathies.
The goal of Dr. Wiggs’ research is to identify the genes associated with glaucoma. She has made progress in identifying the rare genes that may predispose a person to developing glaucoma, and she is currently working to find the more common genes.
Dr. Young is researching the effectiveness of the proton beam and other promising treatments for ocular melanoma.
The Harvard-wide vision research faculty seeks to train the next generation of investigators who can solve fundamental questions in vision and address problems of diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of eye diseases.
Thirty-two faculty mentors, who command well-funded programs, provide opportunities for vision and ophthalmic research using cutting edge experimental techniques. Their state-of-the-art facilities are located at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, the Schepens Eye Research Institute, the Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Basic Science Departments on the Harvard campuses. The areas of laboratory research include Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics, Immunology, and Neurobiology.
Candidates are invited to explore laboratory research projects with one or more faculty mentors. Vision research forms the core of the program. Supplementary coursework, seminars, and special events provide specialized knowledge in the area of biology and medicine of vision.
Contact Information for the Postdoctoral Training Program:
Ms. Jennifer Schleicher
Training Program Coordinator
Schepens Eye Research Institute
20 Staniford Street
Boston MA 02114
schleicher@vision.eri.harvard.edu
Tel 617-912-7401
Fax 617-912-0117
For more information, visit the Eye Research Institute site.
For information on specific research study/patient enrollment opportunities at the Infirmary, click on the links:
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