My research interest focuses on the design and conduct of clinical trials investigating treatments for diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinal venous occlusive disease and other retinal diseases. Previously, as the Co-Director of the Fundus Photograph Reading Center, I assisted with the collection, analysis, and dissemination of important primary and secondary outcomes in ophthalmic clinical trials. Early in my career, I had focused primarily on industry sponsored trials such as the Eli Lilly trials for protein kinase C inhibitor for diabetic macular edema (MBBK), transpupillary thermotherapy of occult subfoveal choroidal neovascular membranes in patients with age-related macular degeneration (TTT4CNV trial), the Control Delivery Systems trials evaluating intravitreal fluocinolone implants, and the Bausch and Lomb trials investigating fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implants. I served both as a clinical site investigator and on advisory boards and writing committees. In 2003, I was selected to serve as the national protocol chair for the clinical trial conducted by the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net) comparing focal/grid photocoagulation and intravitreal triamcinolone for diabetic macular edema (protocol B).

This was a landmark study and changed practice patterns in the field of ophthalmology. In 2003, my independent and investigator-initiated research group received a U-10 cooperative agreement award from the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health to conduct the Standard Care vs Corticosteroid for Retinal Vein Occlusion (SCORE) Study. This was a multicenter, randomized, NIH-defined phase 3 trial which led to over 15 publications in the peer-reviewed literature and provided much needed Level 1 evidence to guide our management of retinal venous occlusive disease. In 2013, this group received funding from the NEI to conduct the SCORE2 Study. The SCORE2 Study is an NIH-defined phase 3 clinical trial designed to evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of bevacizumab versus aflibercept for the treatment of macular edema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion. Over 360 participants were enrolled and the 6 month and 12 month data are in the manuscript preparation stage. This study group has an application in place to extend the SCORE2 follow up phase out to 5 years to evaluate long-term safety and efficacy outcomes in central retinal vein occlusion.

• Vitreoretinal Surgery

• New England Eye Center

• Tufts Universityon