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Current Research in Ocular Immunology

 The faculty in the Division of Ocular Immunology is currently working on the following projects:

Jennifer E. Thorne, M.D., Ph.D., Chair

  • Epidemiology of clinical treatments in ocular inflammatory diseases
  • Molecular search for viruses, bacteria and fungi in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome. Funded by the Wilmer/King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital joint research collaboration. Led by Dr. Thorne and Dr. Hassan Al-Dhibi. Look for potential microbial etiologies of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome by searching for viral, bacterial and fungal genomes in the peripheral blood of patients with active Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome.

Bryn Burkholder, M.D.

  • Working with the MUST (Multicenter uveitis steroid treatment) trials and the Longitudinal Study of the Ocular Complication of AIDS 
  • Looking at current practice patterns, clinical outcomes and complications with steroid implants for patients with non-infectious uveitis

Amde Selassie Shifera, M.D., Ph.D.

  • Molecular analysis of bacterial and fungal DNA in conjunctival sarcoid granulomas. Funded by a Mallinckrodt Research Fellowship Award. Investigate possible microbial causes of sarcoidosis by carrying out an extensive molecular search for bacterial and fungal DNA in conjunctival sarcoid granulomas.