My current research interest lies primarily in tissue engineering of the sclera, with focus on engineering the extracellular matrix properties of the sclera. I have majored in Biomedical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University, where I have worked on projects ranging from analyzing brain spike data for establishing correlations among different regions to E. Coli bacterial culture for studying gene mutations. I then completed my master’s in Bioengineering at UC San Diego focusing on tissue-engineered small diameter vascular grafts, particularly bioreactor design and conducting mechanical testing. Afterwards I have worked for two years as a R&D engineer at Edwards Lifesciences LLC (Irvine, CA) developing tissue-engineered heart valves.

Conference Abstracts & Presentations

Su J, Fang Y, Bota P, Carlyle W, Lafrance H. Early in vitro Experiments with Small Intestine Submucosal Aortic Valves. Hilton Head 2004 Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering. Poster Presentation.

Bota P, Su J, Robinson E, Lafrance H, Carlyle W. In vivo & in vitro Evaluation of Sterilization Methods for SIS Heart Valves. ISACB 9th Biennial Meeting 2004. Oral Presentation.

Beith J, Su J, Romero C, Lafrance H. Validation of Novel FEA Models – The Key to the Next Generation Heart Valve. BMES 2004 Annual Fall Meeting. Poster Presentation.

[Email]Janice Tarrant OD (Summer 2004- )

Publications & conference presentations

Tarrant J, Severson H, Wildsoet CF (2005). How accurate is accommodation through bifocal soft contact lenses? (ARVO abstract #5596).

[Email] Yibin Tian (Fall 2003 - )

Research:
1. Optical information processing in the genesis, development and emmetropization of myopia.
2. Visual optics and its applications to machine vision and computer graphics.
3. Signal and image processing as applied to functional brain imaging (EEG, MEG and fMRI).

Website:
Check out Yibin Tian's Website for up-to-date information on his current and past research.

[Email] Kai Yew BSc (Fall 2001-2006 )

Kai completed his undergraduate degree at the National Taiwan University, Medical College (1993-1998). This was his first introduction to research, working on three different projects over this period: 1. DNA mismatch and repair in E. Coli, 2. Shewanella swarming behavior, 3. Effects of specialized neurons (DM, VLM, CVLM) in mid-brain of cats on cardiovascular functions. I then worked as a research assistant in a microbiology laboratory for two years (2000-2001; Research: Antibiotic resistant mechanisms in pneumococcus) before joining the Wildsoet lab for graduate studies in 2001. I am studying the mechanisms under lens- and form-derivation myopia using optical and lighting manipulations combined with lesioning techniques.

Publications & conference presentations

Yew KL, Wildsoet CF (2005). Re-examination of the ocular growth rhythms during normal or induced myopia development in chicks. (ARVO abstract #1983).

Yew KL, Wildsoet CF (2004). Altering the diurnal light cycle differentially affects the vitreous chamber responses to negative lens and diffusers in young chicks except after optic nerve-section. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (ARVO abstract#4288).

Yew KL, Wildsoet CF (2003). The usual effects of high-power negative lenses and diffusers show differential susceptibility to disruption to the diurnal light cycle. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (ARVO abstract#1979).

Yew, K. L., Chan, S., & Wildsoet, C. F. (2002). Negative 30 D lenses behave like occluders in inducing myopia in young chicks. J Vision http://journalofvision.org/2/10/43.

Yew K, Wildsoet CF (2002). A re-examination of the effects of accommodation and retinal image quality on compensation to negative lenses in the chick. Abstracts of 9th International Conference on Myopia, Hong Kong Section, 33.

Yew, K. L., Chan, S., & Wildsoet, C. F. (2002). Negative 30 D lenses behave like occluders in inducing myopia in young chicks [Abstract]. Journal of Vision, 2(10), 43a, http://journalofvision.org/2/10/43/, DOI 10.1167/2.10.43. (Poster presentation, Fall Vision Meeting, San Francisco, October 2002).

Yew K. L. & Wildsoet, C. F. (2002). A re-examination of the effects of accommodation and retinal image quality on compensation to negative lenses in the chick. Poster presentation, 9th International Myopia Conference, Hong Kong, November 2002.

Yew K. L. & Wildsoet, C. F. (2003). The usual effects of high-power negative lens and diffusers show differential susceptibiltiy to disruption to the diurnal light cycle. 1979-B875, Poster presentation, Association for Research in Vision & Ophthalmology meeting, May 2003.

[Email] Varuna Padmanabhan BSc (Optom) (Fall 2002 - grad. MS Fall 2005)

I am an Optometrist from India. I have around 2 years of clinical experience as an Optometrist and teaching experience at the school of Optometry in India. During under-graduate studies, I was awarded merit certificates for best performance in various areas academically, and also received awards for active involvement in vision screening programs and other professional activities.

My graduate research is in the area of myopia development. My research to date has focused on the binocular interactions in eye growth mechanisms in the chick.

Conference Abstract

Padmanabhan V, Wildsoet CF (2004). Rearing in constant light disrupts compensation to negative lenses in chicks. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci (ARVO abstract#4289).

Wildsoet CF, Padmanabhan V (2005). Patching fellow eyes during subjective night does not prevent disruption to minus lens compensation in constant light chicks. (ARVO abstract #1984).

Biswas J, Subbaram M, Padmanabhan V, Gunvant P, George A, Ganesh SK (2000) Changing pattern of uveitis in a referral clinic in India, 58th Annual Conference of All India Ophthalmological Society, Chennai, India.

Tonya Watson OD (Spring-Summer 2004, lab rotation)

Conference Abstract

Watson T, Wildsoet CF (2004) Are myopes less sensitive to blur imposed by negative lenses? (Abstract, American Academy of Optometry)