Ophthalmology Fellows

Ophthalmology Fellows: Second Year

Boris Rosin Subspecialty: Retina

Dr. Rosin has started his professional life as a Software Engineer, graduating Summa Cum Laude in Mathematics and Computer Science from Tel Aviv University, Israel. Dr. Rosin decided to pursue a career in Medicine and subsequently completed the MD-PhD program (with distinctions) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. His PhD project in Neurobiology investigated new approaches to Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s disease, culminating in top-tier publications and the receipt of multiple awards for his work. Dr. Rosin has completed the Israeli Residency Program in Ophthalmology and a 2-year Vitreoretinal Fellowship program at Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. After receiving a few substantial grants, Dr. Rosin established his own lab at Hadassah Medical Center, which investigates the processing of visual information within the Central Nervous System (CNS). His clinical interests include gene and cell therapy options for congenital retinal degenerations, vitreoretinal surgery as well as visual system electrophysiology. Personal hobbies include biking, his Jack Russel Terrier and classical music (amateur violinist).

Erika Massicotte Subspecialty: Oculoplastics

Dr. Massicotte was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. She obtained a Diploma of College Studies in Health Sciences at the College of Valleyfield. She then attended medical school at the University of Montreal, Canada where she was involved in many committees, including the Medical Student Association as the Vice President of Academic Affairs. Dr. Massicotte also completed two different research internships that led to multiple publications during her medical studies. She then completed an ophthalmology residency at the University of Montreal, Canada from 2014 to 2019. Throughout her residency, she was elected chief resident and published publications in peer-reviewed journals. She recently became an associate of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. During her free time, she likes to spend time with her family, hiking and travelling.

Jamila Hiasat Subspecialty: Pediatric Ophthalmology

Dr. Jamila Hiasat was born in Amman, Jordan. She received her MD from the University of Jordan as well as completed an ophthalmology residency, where she was elected chief resident in her final year. Additionally, she received experience at the King Hussein Cancer Center, the first Joint Commission accredited in Jordan and the first center outside the United States to receive disease-specific accreditation. She is currently is a Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabimus and Adult Motility fellow, where she is completing her second and final year.

Ophthalmology Newer Faculty

Amgad Eldib, MD – Pediatric Ophthalmology Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

Dr. Amgad Eldib attended medical school at Cairo University in Cairo, Egypt, where he graduated in 2010. He received his Master’s degree of ophthalmology from Alazhar University in Cairo in 2014. Following medical school, Dr. Eldib attended the Research Institute of Ophthalmology in Cairo, one of the largest ophthalmology institutes in the Middle East, where from 2011-2018 he held a residency, a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology, and was also a senior registrar of ophthalmology. From 2018-2020 Dr. Eldib held fellowships in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Emory University in Atlanta and the University of Pittsburgh. Upon completion of his fellowship, Dr. Eldib joined our faculty in August 2020 as an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology.

Sohani Amarasekera, MD – Comprehensive Ophthalmology

Assistant Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology

Dr. Sohani Amarasekera grew up in Toronto, Canada. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010 with a BA in Biology. After graduation, she undertook a year of glaucoma research at the New York Eye & Ear Infirmary under the guidance of Dr. Robert Ritch. She then pursued her Master’s of Public Health at Cambridge University, followed by her MD at New York Medical College. She has particular interests in retina and global ophthalmology and has worked on diverse clinical and surgical projects in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Kenya. She recently graduated from the ophthalmology residency program and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center where she served a Chief Resident of the program and joined the University of Pittsburgh in July 2020. In her spare time, she enjoys spinning, trying out new restaurants and cheering on the Raptors.

J. Patrick Mayo, PhD

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology Secondary appointment in the Dept. of Bioengineering Training faculty in the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Mayo research focus is on electrophysiology and systematic training in isolating the sensory, motor, and cognitive aspects of neuronal processing. Dr. Mayo’s extensive experience in non-human primate electrophysiology and systematic training in isolating the sensory (DiCarlo and Sommer Labs), motor (Houk and Lisberger Labs), and cognitive (Maunsell Lab) aspects of neuronal processing are one-of-a-kind. During training, he has twice recorded simultaneously in multiple brain regions (primary motor cortex and the basal ganglia in the Houk Lab; area MT and the frontal eye fields in the Lisberger Lab) and is one of only a handful of non-human primate researchers to record in both brain hemispheres simultaneously (area V4 in the Maunsell Lab). Dr. Mayo was recruited to the University of Pittsburgh in April of 2020.

Ophthalmology Newer Faculty (continued)

Roxana Fu, MD – Orbital, Oculoplastics & Aesthetic Surgery Service

Associate Professor of Ophthalmology

Dr. Roxana Fu graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2010 with a BA in Biology, and in 2011 with her MD through a dual BA/MD program, where she graduated summa cum laude. Following a year long internship in general surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Dr. Fu began her first residency in Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh from 2012-2015. Following this residency Dr. Fu held a Fellowship with the American Society of Ophthalmic & Plastic Reconstructive Surgery under Dr. William Nunery at the University of Louisville and Indiana University. After being a member of the faculty at Wilmer Eye Institute at John Hopkins University, Dr. Fu recruited to the University of Pittsburgh as an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology in February 2020.

Gary Yam, PhD

Research Associate Professor Head, Corneal Regeneration Lab

Dr. Yam’s research is focused on corneal cell biology, study of corneal stem cells to regenerate corneal tissues for wound healing, correction of corneal haze and scarring, as well as tissue engineering for refractive correction. His research initiatives are focused on developing safe, simple and efficient therapy for wound healing and scarring of cornea, using both cell-based and non-cell-based strategies. His research on stromal cell-based study has successfully used stromal keratocytes, through intrastromal injection, to treat corneal haze and scarring in animal models of corneal opacity. Dr. Yam was recruited to the University of Pittsburgh in February of 2020.

Ellen Butts, OD - Optometry

Clinical Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

Dr. Butts received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. She then went on to complete her Doctor of Optometry degree from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Following a residency in ocular disease at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Dr. Butts was recruited to the University of Pittsburgh in October 2019.