Meet Our Researchers

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s faculty is dedicated to the creation of new knowledge and technology and its rapid translation into the clinic to help patients. Our mission is to make this happen through innovative research. We strive to be the nation’s pre-eminent research center for the advancement of medicine and technology to conquer eye disease and prevent blindness.

Our Laboratory Researchers

Sanjoy K. Bhattacharya, M. Tech., Ph. D., FARVO
Professor of Ophthalmology Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
Publications
Biography: Sanjoy Bhattacharya is a tenured Professor at University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. Professor Bhattacharya completed master’s degrees, in Biotechnology, in Bioengineering from Banaras Hindu University, and a PhD degree in Bioengineering from Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, India. He subsequently did fellowships in Pharmacology and Structural Biology at McGill University,...
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Delia C. DeBuc, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Cabrera DeBuc received her Ph.D. in applied physics (2002) from the University of Michigan. She is a research associate professor of ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
She is a biophysicist with specific training in ocular imaging technology and image analysis. Her research group has been supported...
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Giovanni Gregori, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor

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Abigail S. Hackam, Ph.D.
Professor of Ophthalmology
Publications
Biography: Abigail Hackam, Ph.D. is a Professor at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Director of Laboratory research at Bascom Palmer, and Associate Director of the Master’s of Science in Vision Science and Investigative Ophthalmology at the University of Miami. Her PhD training was in Human Genetics at Johns Hopkins University, followed by post-doctoral positions in Medical Genetics...
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Dmitry V. Ivanov, Ph.D.
Research Professor of Ophthalmology
Publications
Biography: In his early research career, Dr. Ivanov was a pivotal actor in numerous international research efforts and scientific networks that have led to the discovery of genes related to the development of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most frequently occurring type of leukemia in the Western world. This knowledge gives new opportunities for diagnosis and potential...
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Stefan Kurtenbach, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Kurtenbach has studied Biochemistry at the Ruhr-University in Bochum, Germany, where he also graduated in Biology as part of the International Max Plank Research Program. Following a post-doctoral period at York University in Toronto, Canada, he completed his postdoc at the Harbour Ocular Cancer Laboratory withing the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (SCCC) at...
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Darlene Miller, D.H.Sc., M.P.H., C.I.C.
Research Professor of Ophthalmology

Biography: Dr. Miller has a broad and interdisciplinary background with specialist training in medical microbiology, epidemiology, public health, infection prevention and laboratory diagnostics. Undergraduate degree in Medical Technology and master’s degrees in Microbiology and Public Health were completed at the University of Miami. The Doctor of Health Sciences degree was awarded...
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Jean-Marie Parel, Ing.ETS-G, Ph.D., FAIMBE, FARVO
Research Associate Professor of Ophthalmology

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Daniel Pelaez, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Pelaez is a scientist and biomedical engineer and an expert in stem cell and molecular biology, tissue engineering, biochemistry, and regenerative medicine. Originally from Colombia and as the son of two head and neck cancer surgeons, Dr. Pelaez experienced first-hand the frustrations that arise when suboptimal and non-curative treatments are the only available options...
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Vittorio Porciatti, D.Sc.
Vice Chair of Research
Publications
Biography: Dr. Porciatti is an internationally recognized scientist with over 190 peer-reviewed articles in the field of visual neuroscience. He started his career in Italy as a radiochemist in a nuclear research facility and later graduated in biological sciences at the University of Pisa, Italy. As voluntary assistant professor at the University of Pisa, he learned about electrophysiological...
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Marco Ruggeri, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor of Ophthalmology

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Valery I. Shestopalov, Ph.D.
Professor of Ophthalmology

Biography: I graduated from Moscow State University in Russia and obtained a PhD degree in molecular genetics at the Vavilov Institute of General Genetics in Moscow. I also received postdoctoral training at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. My background includes a broad knowledge of cell and molecular biology, cell-cell...
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Jianhua (Jay) Wang, M.D., Ph.D., M.S.
Professor of Ophthalmology

Biography: Dr. Wang, the scientific co-director of the Experimental Imaging Laboratory for the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, is a professor of ophthalmology and electric and computer engineering. After MD training in China, Dr. Wang obtained his PhD in vision science at University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada. He came to the University of Miami in July, 2006...
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Rong Wen, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Ophthalmology

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Hong Yu, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Publications
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Our Clinical Researchers

Mohamed F. Abou Shousha, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Abou Shousha is a clinician scientist with expertise in caring for patients with cataract, and corneal diseases. He also has expertise in developing novel ophthalmic imaging technology to advance visual aids and optical coherence tomography imaging techniques. He was awarded a K23 award from the National Eye Institute and has 75% of his professional time dedicated...
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Zelia M. Correa, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Ophthalmology - Pending Rank
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: As an ocular oncologist and clinical researcher, Dr. Zelia Correa was recruited to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in 2020 as Director of the Ocular Oncology Service and Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Previously, she was the Tom Clancy...
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Richard K. Lee, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile
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Alfonso L. Sabater, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Alfonso L. Sabater is a surgeon-scientist and associate professor of clinical ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute - University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Sabater is the medical director of the Ocular Surface Program and director of the Corneal Innovation Laboratory at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Research in his laboratory is aimed at...
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Felipe A. Medeiros

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Byron L. Lam, M.D.
Professor of Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Byron L. Lam, M.D. is a clinician and a researcher with a focus in neuro-ophthalmology, hereditary retinal disease, and ophthalmic epidemiology. He is a professor of ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School in Medicine and is the holder of the Robert Z. & Nancy J. Greene Chair in Ophthalmology.

Dr....
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Guillermo Amescua, M.D.
Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile
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Ta Chen Peter Chang, M.D.
Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Ta Chen Peter Chang, M.D., Professor, is a pediatric glaucoma and cataract specialist at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. He is the Director of Research of the Samuel & Ethel Balkan International Pediatric Glaucoma Center, the Medical Advisory Board Ophthalmology Chair for the International Sturge-Weber Foundation, and an editor for Ophthalmology Glaucoma. Chang has research...
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Anat Galor, M.D., M.S.P.H.
Professor of Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Galor is a cornea and uveitis trained specialist with a dual appointment at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the Miami VA medical center. Dr. Galor completed an ophthalmology residency at the Cole Eye Cleveland Clinic, a uveitis fellowship at the Wilmer Eye Institute, and a cornea and external diseases fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Dr. Galor currently...
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Hong Jiang, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Hong Jiang, MD Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Ophthalmology at the University of Miami. She earned her medical degree from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China. She received her Ph.D. at the University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong, China. Dr. Jiang completed her Neurology residency training at Jackson Memorial Hospital/the University of Miami in Miami...
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Carlos E. Mendoza-Santiesteban, M.D.
Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile | Publications
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Philip J. Rosenfeld, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile | Publications
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Swarup S. Swaminathan, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Swarup Swaminathan is a board-certified ophthalmologist focused on caring for patients with cataracts or glaucoma. A magna cum laude graduate of the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Swaminathan completed his residency here at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. He subsequently completed a fellowship in...
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Nicolas A. Yannuzzi, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile
Biography: Dr. Nicolas A. Yannuzzi is vitreoretinal surgeon at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute where he completed his residency in ophthalmology and fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery and served as a chief resident and the co-director of ocular trauma. Dr. Yannuzzi received his B.A. from Harvard College where he graduated cum laude with high honors in biochemical...
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Zohar Yehoshua, M.D., M.H.A.
Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile | Publications
Biography: Dr. Yehoshua attended medical school at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah, Israel. He subsequently completed ophthalmology residency training at Kaplan Hospital, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah, Israel.In 2008, He 1995, she joined the Department of Ophthalmology at University of Miami to conduct a 2 year post-doctoral research in retinal...
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Sonia H. Yoo, M.D.
Professor of Ophthalmology
Clinical Profile
Biography: I am a professor of ophthalmology with a joint appointment in biomedical engineering and associate medical director at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. I hold the Greentree Hickman endowed chair in ophthalmology. I received my BA at Stanford University in California and my MD at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. I completed...
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Our Laboratory Researchers

Our Clinical Researchers