Felipe A. Medeiros, M.D., Ph.D.

Introducing the Vice Chair of Translational Research

World-renowned

As a student in Brazil, Felipe A. Medeiros, M.D., Ph.D., dreamed of becoming an ophthalmologist. Today, he is one of the world’s leading glaucoma experts with a passion for using data science and computing to bring better vision treatments to patients.

On June 1, Medeiros will join Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine as professor of ophthalmology, vice chair of translational research, and the Rodgers Clark Chair of Ophthalmology. “I am very honored to join Bascom Palmer, and I look forward to working with this exceptional group of clinicians, scientists, and educators to improve the lives of glaucoma patients through cutting-edge research and state-ofthe-art care,” he said.

A pioneer on the use of artificial intelligence and big data to help improve management of glaucoma and other eye conditions, Medeiros was recently ranked among the top three glaucoma experts in the world by Expertscape, an independent organization that evaluates publications and citations from more than 40,000 glaucoma specialists and researchers worldwide.

“Dr. Medeiros brings extraordinary interdisciplinary expertise to our Institute,” said Eduardo C. Alfonso, M.D., professor and director of Bascom Palmer, “In addition to his exceptional skills as a surgeon specializing in complex glaucoma cases, his trail-blazing research and commitment to clinical care will significantly benefit patients here in South Florida and throughout the world.”

Medeiros is joining the Institute from Duke University, where he was the Joseph A.C. Wadsworth Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology. He was also vice chair of technology and professor of electrical and computer engineering, biostatistics, and bioinformatics at Duke. He is moving here with his wife Milenny, who is an attorney, and daughter Melissa. “We love traveling, and I enjoy tennis, mountain biking, and playing the drums,” he said.

“Dr. Medeiros is an innovative thinker and a visionary leader who will drive Bascom Palmer’s translational research program to new heights,” said Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School of Medecine. “He brings many years of remarkable research accomplishments to our school.”

Recognized for leadership

In the global ophthalmology community, Medeiros is known for developing innovative methods and technologies for diagnosis, risk assessment, and detection of disease progression in glaucoma. At Bascom Palmer, Medeiros’ new colleagues respect his worldwide influence on clinical practice, as well as his commitment to leading-edge research, personalized patient care, and 21st-century medical education.

“Dr. Felipe Medeiros is nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in the field of glaucoma,” said Steven J. Gedde, M.D., professor of ophthalmology, the John G. Clarkson Chair in Ophthalmology, and vice chair of education. Gedde led the selection committee that chose Medeiros from a group of highly qualified candidates. “He will provide strategic vision and operational leadership to build upon the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute’s outstanding research program.”

Gedde added that Medeiros’ funded research has focused on developing innovative methods and technologies for early diagnosis and detection of progression, identification of biomarkers and risk factors for glaucoma, and use of big data and artificial intelligence to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of eye diseases.

“Clinician-scientists are rare birds in ophthalmology, and none has flown higher or faster than Felipe Medeiros,” said Richard Parrish II, M.D., professor of ophthalmology, and the Edward W. D. Norton Chair in Ophthalmology. “His unique ability to leverage the in-depth knowledge of clinical glaucoma and sophisticated artificial intelligence lays the groundwork for rapid progress in our understanding of this disease.”

Swarup S. Swaminathan, M.D., assistant professor of clinical ophthalmology and the Mary Lee & Richard E. Bastin Chair in Ophthalmology, said, “I am particularly excited about Dr. Medeiros’ arrival at Bascom Palmer, as he will be able to guide junior clinician-scientists such as myself in building successful research programs. I look forward to working with him in further developing our data science research.”

Pointing to Medeiros’ wide spectrum of knowledge, including electrical and computer engineering, biostatistics, informatics, and technology development, Vittorio Porciatti, D.Sc., professor of ophthalmology, vice chairman of research, and the James L. Knight Professor in Ophthalmology, called him “uniquely suited to provide a road map to advance our institute’s research mission.”

Launching his career

Medeiros grew up in Fortaleza on the northeast coast of Brazil. Several family members were ophthalmologists including his mother, Marcia Medeiros, M.D., who maintains an active clinical practice. After choosing a career in medicine, he pursued both clinical and research studies at the University of Sao Paulo, where he earned his medical degree, completed a residency in ophthalmology,

– Dr. Steven Gedde

– Dr. Richard Parrish II

WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness that affects more than 3 million Americans. It is a family of more than 30 diseases that affects pressure within the eye and damages the optic nerve. Loss of sight from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment.

WHO IS AT RISK FOR GLAUCOMA?

Some people have a higher than normal risk of getting glaucoma. This includes people who:

 are over age 40

 have family members with glaucoma

 are of African, Hispanic, or Asian heritage

 have high eye pressure

 are farsighted or nearsighted

 have had an eye injury

 use long-term steroid medications

 have corneas that are thin in the center

 have thinning of the optic nerve

 have diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, poor circulation of other health problems affecting the whole body.

Courtesy of American Academy of Ophthalmology

Regular eye examinations are the best way to detect glaucoma.

To schedule an appointment with a glaucoma specialist, please call

1-888-845-0002 or visit us online at bascompalmer.org became a senior clinical fellow in ophthalmology, and obtained his Ph.D. in vision science.

“I started doing glaucoma research as a resident,” Medeiros said. “It was intriguing because glaucoma is the number one cause of irreversible blindness in the world, and there is still so much to discover about this chronic disease.”

Medeiros came to the U.S. in 2002 for a fellowship in glaucoma at the Hamilton Glaucoma Center of the Shiley Eye Institute at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). He joined UCSD as a faculty member in 2005 and quickly progressed to became the youngest full professor of ophthalmology in the country in 2011. He was honored with the Ben and Wanda Hildyard Endowed Chair and served as medical director of the Hamilton Glaucoma Center.

In 2017, he joined Duke Eye Center, where he led the department’s efforts in glaucoma research and assembled the Duke Ophthalmic Registry, which incorporates hundreds of thousands of clinical records, images, and laboratory tests. “Meaningful research today requires big data,” said Medeiros. “Tools like artificial intelligence algorithms can help us understand risk factors for the disease, create predictive models and develop better endpoints for clinical trials.”

Medeiros holds several patents on the development of innovative devices for diagnosing diseases and assessing patient outcomes in ophthalmology and other areas of medicine. He has been at the forefront of using innovative technologies, such as virtual reality (VR), in assessing how loss of vision from glaucoma may lead to disability and impact the daily lives of patients. “We developed a VR test that allowed us to assess risk of falls in patients in a way that could not be done with conventional testing in clinic,” Medeiros said. He has also developed the first portable brain-computer interface (BCI) that allows for objective testing of vision loss in glaucoma and other diseases. “The BCI offers a promising avenue for quick and efficient screening for eye diseases as well as home monitoring for loss of vision,” he added.

Through the years, Medeiros’ research has been funded by numerous grants from the National Institutes of Health and other public agencies and foundations. He has also established numerous collaborations with industry and has been at the forefront of research leading to the development of innovative treatments for glaucoma. Recently, he was the principal investigator of the clinical trial leading to the FDA approval of the first sustainedrelease drug treatment for glaucoma, a major landmark in the treatment of this condition. Medeiros’ high-impact research has been published in more than 400 peer-reviewed publications that have received over 30,000 citations, being one the most highly cited authors in the field of ophthalmology. He has also published six books and over 50 book chapters covering many different aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Through the years, he has given hundreds of invited keynote lectures worldwide and has received dozens of honors and awards, including the Association for Research in Vision in Ophthalmology’s Cogan Award, one of the most prestigious awards in vision science. He has served on the editorial boards of several ophthalmology journals and is an elected member of the prestigious Glaucoma Research Society, whose members are restricted to the top 100 glaucoma researchers in the world. Thanks to his scientific contributions, he was selected to be the first scientist to have a feature profile in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He currently serves as the chair of the American Glaucoma Society Strategic Planning Committee, which is tasked on developing the five-year strategic plan for the society. He is also an active member of the World Glaucoma Association, as well as many other professional organizations.

Plans for the future

As a vision science leader at Bascom Palmer, Medeiros’ primary goal is to advance innovative and impactful translational research and expand funding through grants and philanthropic gifts. That includes adding to the Institute’s programs of distinction in key research areas, establishing a big data portfolio with the creation of a Bascom Palmer Ophthalmic Registry, and seeking resources to create a new Bascom Palmer Center for Artificial Intelligence & Innovative Technology.

Medeiros also wants to advance team-based collaborative research, including cross-discipline projects at the University of Miami as well as regional, national, and international research partnerships.

In keeping with that approach, Medeiros will focus on attracting, developing, and retaining outstanding faculty researchers and enhancing training and mentoring for residents, fellows, and junior faculty members.

To accelerate the bench-to-bedside process, Medeiros will promote entrepreneurship so that new laboratory findings and technological innovations can lead to start-up ventures and other forms of commercialization. “It is important to facilitate partnerships that can transform discoveries into innovative solutions.”

“Dr. Medeiros’ focus on collaborative research will create new opportunities for scientists and clinicians throughout the Miller School,” said Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., the Miller School’s executive dean for research; director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; the Oscar de la Renta Endowed Chair in Cancer Research, and professor of medicine, biochemistry, and molecular biology. “In leading Bascom Palmer’s translational research program, Dr. Medeiros will accelerate the process of turning scientific discoveries into leading-edge therapies for patients with vision loss.” 