#  Harvard Ophthalmology Affiliates Benefit from Lions Grants 

 





September 04, 2019

 

 

   ![Lions Eye Research](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/eye/files/mlerf_logo_2.png?itok=YPGBjw7M) 

 

 The Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund has awarded $700,000 in grants to support research projects led by the following faculty:

 **Beetham Eye Institute at Joslin Diabetes Center**

- [Paolo Silva, MD](/paolosilva), will study computational fluid dynamics modeling of the human retinal microvasculature in order to better predict outcomes in the diabetic eye.
- [Jennifer K. Sun, MD, MPH](/jennifersun), will investigate the association of systemic disease with predominantly peripheral diabetic retinopathy lesions that have been identified on ultrawide field retinal imaging.

 **Boston Children's Hospital**

- [Ronald Hansen, PhD](/ronaldhansen), working with [James Akula, PhD](/jamesakula), and [Lucia Ambrosio, MD, PhD](/luciaambrosio), will study the retinal structure and function in retinopathy of prematurity.
- [Jing Chen, PhD](/jingchen), will explore the metabolism of amino acids in retinopathy of prematurity.
- [Lois Smith, MD, PhD](/loissmith), working with [Zhongjie (Kira) Fu, PhD](/zhongjiefu), aims to develop an FGF21 treatment that improves normal retinal vessel growth to prevent retinopathy of prematurity.

 **Mass. Eye and Ear**

- [Paulo Bispo, PhD](/paulobispo), will study the emergence of multidrug resistant bacterial keratitis – a painful, debilitating condition that occurs when the integrity of the corneal epithelium is breached, allowing bacteria access to the stroma.
- [Lotfi B. Merabet, OD, PhD, MPH](/lotfimerabet), will work to develop a novel testing platform, using virtual reality- Electroencephalogram (EEG), which will provide enhanced characterization of visual processing abilities in children with cerebral visual impairment.
- [Jaya Rajaiya, PhD](/jayarajaiya), will analyze the cellular mechanisms that contribute to corneal inflammation in adenovirus infection – specifically epidemic keratoconjunctivitis – in order to help design a specific therapy for the disease.

 **Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass. Eye and Ear**

- [Corinna Bauer, PhD](/corinnabauer), will implement multi-modal neuroimaging methods to help uncover the potential mechanisms underlying increased visual processing delays observed in children with perinatal brain injury.
- [Tatjana Jakobs, MD](/tatjanajakobs), and [Meredith Gregory-Ksander, PhD](/meredithgregoryksander), are studying the role of microglia – the resident immune cells of the eye, and optic nerve – and their potential to act as glaucoma therapy.
- [Eric Ng, PhD](/ericng), aims to identify potent inhibitors for endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) and to determine the therapeutic potential of targeting EndoMT for choroidal neovacularization associated with wet AMD that is resistant to anti-VEGF treatment.
- [Magali Saint-Geniez, PhD](/magalisaintgeniez), will investigate the mechanism underlying the distinctive centrifugal progression of RPE atrophy in advanced dry AMD – specifically how diseased RPE spread damage to neighboring cells by affecting their metabolic state and how to target this new phenomenon for therapeutic application.



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Corinna Bauer, PhD ](/news-categories/corinnabauer)
- [ Jing Chen, PhD ](/news-categories/jingchen)
- [ Meredith Gregory-Ksander, PhD ](/news-categories/meredithgregoryksander)
- [ Tatjana Jakobs, MD ](/news-categories/tatjanajakobs)
- [ Lotfi Merabet, PhD, OD ](/news-categories/lotfimerabet)
- [ Eric Ng, PhD ](/news-categories/ericng)
- [ Jaya Rajaiya, PhD ](/news-categories/jayarajaiya)
- [ Magali Saint-Geniez, PhD ](/news-categories/magalisaintgeniez)
- [ Paolo Antonio S. Silva, MD ](/news-categories/paolosilva)
- [ Jennifer K. Sun, MD, MPH ](/news-categories/jennifersun)
- [ Grants ](/news-categories/grants)
 
 

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