Lloyd Paul Aiello, MD, PhD, Named First Incumbent of the Charles Webster Downer Professor of Ophthalmology
Dr. Aiello is a highly respected clinician scientist and expert on diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. He is Director of the Beetham Eye Institute and Co-Section Head of Vascular Cell Biology at Joslin Diabetes Center.
His research has focused on molecular mechanisms underlying diabetic retinopathy and macular edema, with an emphasis on growth factors and mediators that contribute to these pathologies. In collaboration with other members of the Harvard Medical School community, Dr. Aiello helped elucidate the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor in ocular neovascular disease and protein kinase C- beta isoform in diabetic retinal complications. These efforts led to the initial identification of numerous pathways and targets for which novel interventions were then developed. The Joslin team spearheaded the preclinical evaluation of these compounds and, under Dr. Aiello's leadership, was responsible for the design, implementation, and analyses of subsequent phase 1, 2 and 3 clinical trials, which have led to the FDA approved use of anti-VEGF treatments for severe diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Aiello has also been deeply involved with national clinical trial development. He served as the inaugural chair of the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net) beginning in 2002. The DRCR.net has become the premiere presence in multicenter clinical trials of diabetic retinopathy in the United States and now encompasses 3 countries and over 130 sites. Results from DRCR.net studies have changed standard care globally regarding use of intravitreal injections versus laser treatment for diabetic macular edema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Aiello is the founding Chair of the National Eye Institute Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network and is Chair of the Lions Club International SightFirst Diabetic Retinopathy Research Program. In addition, he serves on a review panel of the complications section of the Breakthrough T1D research foundation, the largest fundraising organization for type 1 diabetes in the world.
Dr. Aiello's work has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the António Champalimaud Vision Award, the most prestigious award in ophthalmology in the world; the Friedenwald Achievement Award from the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology; and the American Academy of Ophthalmology Life Achievement Honor Award, among many others.