Research Professors
The following faculty are providing active mentorship for student researchers.
Laboratory Research
John Danias, MD, PhD
Professor. Dr Danias' laboratory studies the basic mechanisms of glaucoma and is actively searching to improve diagnostic techniques by the development of both better animal models of human disease and also more effective diagnostic equipment. His research projects are focused on treatment strategies whose goal is to preserve visual function by preventing neurodegeneration. He is developing gene therapy approaches to stop early damage to retinal neurons as well as ways to improve IOP control.
Clinical Research
Ivan Bodis-Wollner, MD, DSc,
Professor Neurology and Ophthalmology.
Professor Bodis-Wollner's laboratory research interests are in Parkinson's disease particularly in clinical management and early detection. He has a long standing interest in the effects of Parkinsonism in the retina and the possibility that retinal changes parallel and precede motor problems. His recent study on changes in the nerve fiber layer in Parkinson's patient supports this hypothesis.
Eric Shrier, DO
Dr. Eric Shrier has interests in diabetic retinopathy and collaborates with Dr. Chaqour in his work on CCN proteins of the retina. He also has been active in looking at Parkinson's Retinopathy changes with OCT evaluation.
Edward F. Smith, MD.
Dr. Edward Smith has performed important laboratory studies on antibiotic absorption by various intraocular lenses as a possible method to reduce the occurrence of post-cataract endophthalmitis. He has also worked on eradication of bacteria with UV light in vitro.
Collaborating Laboratories At SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
JacoB V. Aranda, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Dr. Aranda is Director of Neonatology and Professor of Pediatrics and Ophthalmology.
He earned his PhD in Pharmacology at McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Graduate
Studies, Montreal, and his MD from Manila Central University, Philippines. Subsequent
training was at the US Naval Hospital, Washington Hospital Center and National Children's
Hospital, SUNY Upstate, Case Western, and Montreal Children's Hospital and McGill
University Hospitals. He has co-authored 5 books and over 250 peerreviewed papers
and book chapters, and is a member of more than 20 scientific and academic societies
and recipient of multiple awards. An internationally known lecturer, Dr. Aranda is
considered one of the key opinion makers in Neonatal and Pediatric Pharmacology and
Drug Therapy. He developed innovative drug therapies for newborns using old drugs
including caffeine for apnea of prematurity and intravenous ibuprofen for closure
of the patent ductus arteriosus. He has supervised over 140 clinical trials and translational
research protocols. He leads the NIH New York Pediatric Developmental Pharmacology
Research Consortium and was recently awarded $3.69 million by the NIH/National Institutes
of Child Health and Development for his research on the molecular and clinical pharmacology
of retinopathy of prematurity. He is the current Chair of the National Steering Committee
of the NIH Pediatric Developmental Pharmacology Research Network.
Randall L. Barbour, PhD
Professor of Pathology and Biophysics. Prof Barbour's work is focused on novel methods of imaging for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. He and his group have developed methods for Optical Tomography – this technique is a powerful tool used to analyze brain dysfunction, breast cancer and vascular disease. Prof Barbour and his group have used the technique for imaging the visual cortex and his collaboration with other members of the SEI Brooklyn is now underway.