Lab Members
Dr. Christine Wildsoet
Professor in Optometry & Vision Science, PhD, Dip Appl Sc (Optom), BSc (Hons), FAAO, FARVO
I am an Australian-trained Optometrist with an honors degree in Pharmacology. I first became involved in myopia research with my PhD research undertaken under the mentorship of Professor Jack Pettigrew, Vision Touch Hearing Research Center, University of Queensland, Brisbane Australia. The title of my PhD thesis was "Retinal Control of Eye Growth and Refractive Error in the Chick."
After serving on the faculty member of the School of Optometry, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia for a number of years, I moved to the US, first to the New England College of Optometry in Boston (1996-1999), and later to University of California - Berkeley’s School of Optometry (2000-present).
Myopia and ocular growth regulation have remained the main focus of my research (both human- and animal-based), although I am also interested in intraocular pressure regulation, ocular therapeutics and ocular public health. I maintain research collaborations in the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Korea, UK, Canada and Spain.
Professor in Optometry & Vision Science, PhD, Dip Appl Sc (Optom), BSc (Hons), FAAO, FARVO
I am an Australian-trained Optometrist with an honors degree in Pharmacology. I first became involved in myopia research with my PhD research undertaken under the mentorship of Professor Jack Pettigrew, Vision Touch Hearing Research Center, University of Queensland, Brisbane Australia. The title of my PhD thesis was "Retinal Control of Eye Growth and Refractive Error in the Chick."
After serving on the faculty member of the School of Optometry, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia for a number of years, I moved to the US, first to the New England College of Optometry in Boston (1996-1999), and later to University of California - Berkeley’s School of Optometry (2000-present).
Myopia and ocular growth regulation have remained the main focus of my research (both human- and animal-based), although I am also interested in intraocular pressure regulation, ocular therapeutics and ocular public health. I maintain research collaborations in the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Korea, UK, Canada and Spain.
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Dr. Yan Zhang
Clinician Scientist, MD, PhD I am a clinician by primary training with very strong interest in translational medical research, which is reflected in my decision to first pursue research as part of her M.S. in Ophthalmology and subsequent decisions to pursue research experience at the NEI/NIH. My primary interest in translational research leads me to join the multidisciplinary Vision Science Graduate Research (Ph.D.) Program at UC Berkeley in 2007. Currently, I am a clinician scientist in Wildseot Lab at University of California, Berkeley, and my research in eye growth regulation and refractive development is funded by NEI/NIH (2013 - present). |
Dr. Elise Harb
Clinician Scientist, OD, PhD, FAAO
My work is fueled by my work as a pediatric optometrist and the growing number of myopic children I care for. I am focused on better understanding how habitual human behaviors (e.g. near work and outdoor/indoor activity), measured in an objectively and dynamically way utilizing wearable technologies, might play a role in myopia development/progression. I previously was on the pediatric faculty at the New College of Optometry (Boston, 2004-2015) and currently see patients at the UC San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital (Assistant Professor).
Clinician Scientist, OD, PhD, FAAO
My work is fueled by my work as a pediatric optometrist and the growing number of myopic children I care for. I am focused on better understanding how habitual human behaviors (e.g. near work and outdoor/indoor activity), measured in an objectively and dynamically way utilizing wearable technologies, might play a role in myopia development/progression. I previously was on the pediatric faculty at the New College of Optometry (Boston, 2004-2015) and currently see patients at the UC San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital (Assistant Professor).
Dr. Maria Liu
Associate Professor of Clinical Optometry, Chief of Myopia Control Clinic, UC Berkeley Eye Center, OD, PhD, MPH, MBA, FAAO
I am an associate professor at UC Berkeley School of Optometry and the founder of UC Berkeley Myopia Control Clinic. I received my bachelor degree of clinical medicine from Peking University, my OD from Pacific University, my PhD and MPH from UC Berkeley. I am a clinical researcher in the field of myopia and the focus of my research is refractive development and myopia. More specifically, I'm interested in understanding a) what aspects of visual experience and associated retinal images underlie myopia; and b) Is it possible to inhibit myopic growth optically and pharmacologically in ways that may be suitable for use in humans? I'm also intensively involved in translational research aiming to answer the questions such as: a) Why does excessive near work increases the risks of myopia; b) Why are some individuals more susceptible than others; and c) What is the role of peripheral optical aberrations in myopia development.
Specialties: Specialized (keratoconus, orthokeratology, and post-refractive surgery as well as post-trauma) contact lens fitting; biostatistics( esp. data analysis in clinical research); subjects recruiting; and clinical teaching.
Associate Professor of Clinical Optometry, Chief of Myopia Control Clinic, UC Berkeley Eye Center, OD, PhD, MPH, MBA, FAAO
I am an associate professor at UC Berkeley School of Optometry and the founder of UC Berkeley Myopia Control Clinic. I received my bachelor degree of clinical medicine from Peking University, my OD from Pacific University, my PhD and MPH from UC Berkeley. I am a clinical researcher in the field of myopia and the focus of my research is refractive development and myopia. More specifically, I'm interested in understanding a) what aspects of visual experience and associated retinal images underlie myopia; and b) Is it possible to inhibit myopic growth optically and pharmacologically in ways that may be suitable for use in humans? I'm also intensively involved in translational research aiming to answer the questions such as: a) Why does excessive near work increases the risks of myopia; b) Why are some individuals more susceptible than others; and c) What is the role of peripheral optical aberrations in myopia development.
Specialties: Specialized (keratoconus, orthokeratology, and post-refractive surgery as well as post-trauma) contact lens fitting; biostatistics( esp. data analysis in clinical research); subjects recruiting; and clinical teaching.
Dr. Sowmya Ravikumar
Clinician Scientist, PhD My research focuses on the impact of poor retinal image quality on refractive error development and visual performance. In particular, I am interested in quantifying the quality of real-world retinal images and to use psychophysical data to test the predictive power of optical models. More recently I have worked on applying empirical biometry and high resolution retinal imaging, in collaboration with Roorda Lab to test hypotheses about ocular growth. https://vision.berkeley.edu/people/sowmya-ravikumar-phd |
Dr. Sarah Kochik
Graduate Student, OD, FAAO
I am a clinical instructor at the UC Berkeley School of Optometry currently working toward a PhD in vision science. I received my O.D. from UC Berkeley after which I completed a residency training in Pediatrics and Primary Care. During my residency, I became interested in myopia research through my work in the Myopia Control Clinic at Berkeley, and is currently interested in investigating the binocular vision status of patients wearing multifocal and orthokeratology lenses, as well as the combined effects of optical and pharmaceutical treatments for myopia. I am also the treasurer of her local optometric society, ACCCOS, and a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. As a dedicated Cal fan, I am also happy to be in my second year serving as the on-call optometrist for the Cal football team.
Graduate Student, OD, FAAO
I am a clinical instructor at the UC Berkeley School of Optometry currently working toward a PhD in vision science. I received my O.D. from UC Berkeley after which I completed a residency training in Pediatrics and Primary Care. During my residency, I became interested in myopia research through my work in the Myopia Control Clinic at Berkeley, and is currently interested in investigating the binocular vision status of patients wearing multifocal and orthokeratology lenses, as well as the combined effects of optical and pharmaceutical treatments for myopia. I am also the treasurer of her local optometric society, ACCCOS, and a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. As a dedicated Cal fan, I am also happy to be in my second year serving as the on-call optometrist for the Cal football team.
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Qiurong Zhu
Visiting Student Researcher I am a visiting student researcher from China and earned my bachelor's degree in Optometry and Visual Science at the West China Medicine School of Sichuan University. Previously, I conducted a survey about the knowledge and practice of contact lens wearers among university students. Now I am interested in myopia research, including the underlying mechanisms and potential control strategies. I hope to have a deeper understanding and further my study about myopia and eye development during the time in the UC Berkeley Myopia Research Group. |
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Dr. So Goto
Clinician Scientist, MD, PhD I am a postdoc at UC Berkeley School of Optometry, and an ophthalmologist at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan. My PhD research was focused on choroidal vascular development. I am interested in the mechanism of myopia such as eye growth and refractive development. I hope to know what is happening in the choroid or sclera of myopic eyes. Is it a trigger or result? I am also doing the clinical research focus on the development of the new accurate IOL (intraocular lens) power calculation formula. |
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2020 Graduating Seniors of Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP)
Myopia Research Group Researchers and Collaborators
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Past Visiting Clinician Scientists ,
Wulian Song Jessie (Jiexi) Zeng Fangkun Zhao Graduate Students Yang Shen (Visiting, Vision Science PhD) Ethan Bensinger (Collaborator, Vision Science PhD) Elysia Mia Ison (Optometry) UC Berkeley Collaborators Lisa Barcellos (Public Health) Debora Lee Chen (Optometry) John Flannery (Optometry/Vision Science) Kevin Healy (Bioengineering) Maria Liu (Optometry) Austin Roorda (Optometry/Vision Science) Martin Banks (Optometry/Vision Science) Dennis Levi (Optometry/Vision Science) Non-UC Berkeley Collaborators Rigmor Baraas, University College of Southeast Norway, Kongsberg, Norway Vivian Choh, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada Michael Collins, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia Sally McFadden, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia Lisa Ostrin, University of Houston College of Optometry, Houston, Texas John Liu, UC San Diego, San Diego, California |
Senior UC Berkeley Alumni
Amanda Alvarez Sara Azmoun Caroline Blackie Elaine Cheng John Choa Grace Chuang Peter (Zhi) Chen Dinasha Dahanayake Sigrid Diether Nevin El-Nimri Mariana Garcia Prema Ganesan David Hammond Michelle Hoang Ming Hu Niathi Kona Varuna Kumaran Yu-Chun Lin Alan Lu Priya Mathur Ravi Metlapally Huamao Miao Diane Nava Jodi Rymer James Su Daniel Sun Sami Sweidan Janice Tarrant Lidia Tekie Yibin Tian Kai Wang Jun Xu Melissa Yao Kai-Lin Yew Hui Zhang Feng Zhao |
