Biography
Until recently, I was an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and a Senior Scientist at the Schepens Eye Research Institute (Boston, MA, USA). During my 38 years at those institutions, my research focused on the interrelationships between sex, sex steroids and dry eye disease, as well as on the role of lubricin on the ocular surface. My studies involved basic, clinical, epidemiological and...view more
Until recently, I was an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and a Senior Scientist at the Schepens Eye Research Institute (Boston, MA, USA). During my 38 years at those institutions, my research focused on the interrelationships between sex, sex steroids and dry eye disease, as well as on the role of lubricin on the ocular surface. My studies involved basic, clinical, epidemiological and translational aspects and led to authorship on over 260 scientific articles and 15 patents. I was awarded numerous research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and served as a preceptor for 34 postdoctoral fellows. I am also a Founder, recent President, and current Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS), a non-profit organization, which was created to advance the research, literacy, and educational aspects of the scientific field of the tear film and ocular surface throughout the world. I have organized 9 International Conferences, overseen the awarding of more than 225 Young Investigator Awards, and organized the TFOS International Workshops on Dry Eye (“DEWS”), Meibomian Gland Dysfunction, Contact Lens Discomfort, DEWS II and, most recently, "The Lifestyle Epidemic: Ocular Surface Disease. These global Workshops have involved the efforts of 60 to 158 scientific and clinical experts, each required 2 to 3 years to complete, and all led to the publication of major reports. Through TFOS I have helped to promote increased international awareness of external eye diseases, enhance governmental funding for tear film and ocular surface research, stimulate the development of therapeutic drugs and diagnostic devices, and influence the design and conduct of clinical trials of novel treatments for ocular surface disorders.
My Grants
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1983-1993 |
NIH/R01EY02882 |
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1983-1988 |
The secretory IgA system of the eye |
Associate Investigator; PI: Mathea Allansmith |
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1988-1991 |
The secretory IgA system of the eye |
Co-PI |
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1991-1993 |
The secretory IgA system of the eye |
PI |
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1985-2016 |
NIH/R01EY05612 |
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1985-1988 |
Endocrine control of the ocular secretory immune system |
PI |
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1988-1994 (1993 NCE) |
Endocrine control of the ocular secretory immune system |
PI |
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1994-1998 |
Neuroendocrinimmune control of lacrimal gland immunity |
PI |
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1998-2001 |
Gender, sex steroids and dry eye syndromes |
PI |
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2001-2005 |
Gender, sex steroids and dry eye syndromes |
PI |
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2005-2010 |
Sex, sex steroids and dry eye syndromes |
PI |
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2005 |
Sex, sex steroids and dry eye syndromes(Supplement) |
PI |
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2010-2016 (2016 NCE) |
Sex, sex steroids and dry eye syndromes |
PI |
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1991-1993 |
MA Lion's Fund |
Ocular immunology and immunopathology |
PI |
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1992-2005 |
Allergan |
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1992-1994 |
Ocular androgen therapy for dry eye in Sjögren's syndrome |
PI |
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1994-1996 |
Ocular androgen therapy for dry eye in Sjögren's syndrome |
PI |
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1996-1999 |
Ocular androgen therapy for dry eye syndromes |
PI |
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1999-2000 |
Prevalence of dry eye syndromes |
Co-PI |
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1999-2005 |
Ocular androgen therapy for dry eye syndromes |
PI |
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1996-1997 |
MA Lion’s Fund |
New strategies for controlling ocular inflammation |
Co-PI |
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1999-2000 |
SERI/MEEI |
Gender and dry eye syndromes |
Co-PI |
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2000-2001 |
SERI |
Influence of estrogen and progesterone on gene expression in the lacrimal and meibomian glands in the lacrimal and meibomian gland |
PI |
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2007-2010 |
Alcon Laboratories |
Regulation of the meibomian gland in health & disease |
PI |
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2007-2020 |
SERI |
Margaret S. Sinon Scholar in Ocular Surface Research Fund |
PI |
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2014-2015 |
GlaxoSmithKline |
Modulation of human meibomian gland epithelial cells |
PI |
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2015-2016 |
TearLab Donation |
Physiology and pathophysiology of human corneal epithelial cells |
PI |
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2015-2016 |
Cempra |
Solithromycin and human meibomian gland epithelial cells |
PI |
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2015-2016 |
MEE Development Office |
Estrogens & glaucoma
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Co-PI |
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2015-2017 |
Novagali/Santen |
Anti-inflammatory compounds and human meibomian gland epithelial cells |
PI |
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2016-2017 |
Glaucoma Research Foundation |
Estrogens & glaucoma |
Co-PI |
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2016-2017 |
Allergan |
Neurotransmitters and human meibomian gland epithelial cells |
PI |
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2017-2018 |
Allysta Pharmaceutical |
Adiponectin effect on human meibomian gland epithelial cells |
PI |
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2017-2019 |
Lµbris BioPharma Donation |
Lubricin: Protection against the devastating effects of ocular burn injuries
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PI |
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2017-2020 |
Lµbris BioPharma |
Royalty Distribution |
PI |
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These funds were used to fund multiple laboratory projects designed to advance our understanding of the regulation of the ocular surface and adnexa in both health and disease. |
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2018-2020 |
NIH/R21EY028653 |
Cationic amphiphilic drugs for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction Dysfunction |
PI
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Our goal is to determine whether certain cationic amphiphilic drugs may serve as safe and effective topical treatments for meibomian gland dysfunction. |
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2019-2021 |
Australian Research Council |
Do sex steroids regulate lipid production in human meibomian glands glands? |
Partner Investigator
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I am requested to provide constructive critiques of their experimental approach |
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My Qualifications
Education:
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1972 |
A.B. |
Biology |
Boston University |
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1976 |
M.S |
Physiology |
University of Minnesota Medical School |
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1980 |
Ph.D. |
Physiology |
Dartmouth Medical School |
Postdoctoral Training:
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1980-1982 |
Research Fellow |
Department of Physiology |
Dartmouth Medical School |
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1982-1983 |
Research Fellow |
Ophthalmology |
Schepens Eye Research Institute (SERI) |
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1982-1983 |
Research Fellow |
Department of Ophthalmology |
Harvard Medical School (HMS) |
Faculty Academic Appointments:
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1983-1986 |
Instructor |
Ophthalmology |
HMS |
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1986-1995 |
Assistant Professor |
Ophthalmology |
HMS |
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1995-2020 |
Associate Professor |
Ophthalmology |
HMS |
Appointments at Hospitals/Affiliated Institutions:
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1983-1986 |
Assistant Scientist |
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SERI |
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1986-1991 |
Associate Scientist |
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SERI |
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1991-2020 |
Senior Scientist |
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SERI |
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2007-2020 |
Margaret S. Sinon Scholar in Ocular Surface Research |
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SERI |
My Awards
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1974 |
Graduate School Academic Scholarship |
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis |
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1974-1977 |
Graduate School Academic Scholarship |
Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH |
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1997 |
Inductee, Matignon High School Achievement Hall of Fame |
Matignon High School, Cambridge, MA |
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1997 |
Invited participant, National Science Writers Seminar |
Research to Prevent Blindness |
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2007-2020 |
Margaret S. Sinon Scholar in Ocular Surface Research |
SERI |
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2009 |
Best Paper of Ocular Surface Disease Session |
Middle East and African Congress of Ophthalmology, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain |
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2010 |
Lifetime Achievement Award |
TFOS |
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2011 |
Carel C. Koch Memorial Medal Award |
American Academy of Optometry |
Outstanding contributions to the enhancement and development of relationships between optometry and other professions |
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2013 |
Silver Fellow Honor |
ARVO |
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2013 |
Honorary Member |
French Society of Ophthalmology |
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2016 |
Gold Fellow Honor |
ARVO |
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2017 |
Dr. Donald R. Korb Award for Excellence |
American Optometric Association
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Lifetime achievement in innovation and leadership in the field of anterior segment disease |
My Research Activities
I am a Ph.D. graduate of Dartmouth Medical School (Hanover, NH, USA), and until recently, an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and a Senior Scientist at the Schepens Eye Research Institute (SERI; Boston, MA, USA). During my 38 years at SERI and HMS, my research focused on the interrelationships between sex, sex steroids and dry eye disease, as well as on the role of lubricin on the ocular surface. My studies involved basic, clinical, epidemiological and translational aspects, and required the establishment of new and unique experimental approaches (e.g. lipid analytical, proteomic and molecular biological methods). My research has led to authorship on over 260 scientific articles and 16 patents, as well as to the development of potential therapies for aqueous-deficient and evaporative dry eye disease. I was awarded numerous research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and served as a preceptor for 34 postdoctoral fellows.
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jcM6QpsAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3424-3778