PROFESSOR MICHAEL BELKIN MA, MD
Professor Michael Belkin, Emeritus Professor of Ophthalmology in Tel Aviv University, received an MA degree in Science from Cambridge University, and an MD degree in Medicine from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was the founder and the first director of the Tel Aviv University Eye Research Institute at the Sheba Medical Center and is a senior advisor to the Singapore Eye Research Institute.
He is the author of over 250 scientific publications and inventor of over 35 patents.
He was also:
- Head of the Research and Development branch of the Israeli military medical department.
- Head of the pediatric ophthalmology services of the Hadassah University Hospital and the Sheba Medical Center
- Chairman of the Tel-Aviv University Department of Ophthalmology
- Co-founder and President of the Israel Society of Eye and Vision Research
- Chairman, Permanent Advisory Committee in Ophthalmology, Ministry of Health
- Incumbent of the Tel Aviv University Sidney A. Fox Chair of Ophthalmology
- Chairman, Ophthalmology Committee, National Councils for Health
- Chairman, Commercial Relationship Committee, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
His laboratory is dedicated to enabling the transfer of technologies from university-level research to clinical practice by providing expertise and facilities for laboratory, preclinical and clinical studies. He is involved in several such projects at various stages of development in pharmaceutics, biotechnology, lasers, optics and ophthalmic devices.
Professor Belkin has been involved in the establishment of many medical start-ups in ophthalmology and other fields. Among his noted contributions are:
- Inventing and developing the Ex-PRESS Glaucoma Filtration Device which is now routinely used in glaucoma surgery worldwide.
- A one-second glaucoma laser treatment https://www.belkin-laser.com/
- An automatic visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, stereoacuity, color vision, strabismus, convergent insufficiency, reading skills- measuring device stereopsis https://www.nova-sight.com/
- An amblyopia treatment system to restore both visual acuity and depth perception https://www.nova-sight.com/
PROFESSOR ECOSSE LAMOUREUX BEd, GradDip, MApplSc, PhD
Professor Ecosse Lamoureux is a tenured professor at the Duke-NUS Medical School (Health Services and System Research Department) and is the Director of the Population Health and Clinical Epidemiology Platform at the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI). He also holds appointments as a Professorial Fellow (Adjunct), Dept. of Surgery and Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia (2018 - present), Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, National University of Singapore (2015 - present), and Professor, Office of Clinical Sciences, Duke NUS Medical School, Singapore (2013 - present).
Professor Lamoureux’s research includes the implementation of novel RCTs, population-based epidemiological studies, and new prevention and treatment models for vision impairment and eye care. Importantly, his work has produced novel computer adaptive testing systems (a form of AI technology) to optimally assess the impact of eye diseases and associated treatment efficacies.
To date, his overall research activities have attracted over SG$40 million in competitive grant funding in Australia (Australian NHMRC, Australian ARC) and Singapore (Singapore NMRC). In addition, he has been awarded numerous fellowships such as the Australian NHMRC Career Fellowships, and the Singapore Clinician Scientist Award. He has over 400 publications in top international journals, and his international standing is supported by numerous invited oral presentations at international and regional conferences.
As the Director of the Population Research Platform with SERI, Professor Lamoureux’s clinical research programme is focused on the epidemiology of eye diseases; including the prevention, treatment, adherence to disease management, and patient-centred outcomes for patients with ocular conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, and glaucoma.
PROFESSOR JOD MEHTA MBBS, FRCOphth, FRCS(Ed), FAMS, PhD
Professor Jod Mehta is Head of the Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group at the Singapore Eye Research Institute, and Head of the Corneal Service and Senior Consultant in the Refractive Service of the Singapore National Eye Center (SNEC). He is a Professor at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and Adjunct Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. He is also on the Executive Committee for the International Society of Refractive Surgeons (ISRS)(AAO), and is on the Board of Directors for the US Corneal Society.
He has won 52 National and International awards including those at AAO and ARVO. His corneal interests lie in corneal transplantation – penetrating keratoplasty, lamellar keratoplasty and endothelial keratoplasty, femtosecond laser technology, corneal imaging, corneal infections, corneal refractive surgery, keratoprosthesis surgery, ocular drug delivery systems and corneal genetics. He has authored over 400 peer-reviewed publications and 14 book chapters and given over 270 presentations oral and poster. His research work has developed 14 patents, 4 of which have been commercialized and licensed to companies.
Professor Tina Wong BSc, MBBS, FRCS(Ed), FRCOphth, FAMS, PhD
Professor Tina Wong is a Senior Consultant and Head of the Glaucoma Department at Singapore National Eye Centre, which was voted the best glaucoma centre in the world in 2020. She trained at the Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK and was awarded the prestigious Wellcome Trust Vision Research Fellowship to complete a PhD in relation to wound healing after glaucoma surgery at the Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London under Professor Sir Peng T. Khaw. Her research lead to the award of the Founders Cup in the Oxford Ophthalmological Congress and the Moorfields Research Medal.
Professor Wong is a full-tenured professor at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, an Adjunct Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, and is also the head of the Ocular Therapeutics and Drug Delivery Research Group at the Singapore Eye Research Institute.
Professor Wong’s research interests lie in wound repair and discovering novel drug targets as well as the innovative application of materials science and engineering to develop cutting edge solutions to improve on current medical and surgical treatments in glaucoma and other ophthalmic diseases. She has published widely in these areas and holds multiple patents. Professor Wong’s research has led to multiple awards, including the prestigious President’s Science and Technology Award, the Ministry of Health Clinician Scientist Award, the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology distinguished Service Award and the SingHealth GCEO Excellence Award.
In the field of translational research, Professor Wong is the co-founder of a number of successful spin-off biotech companies originating from her patents. She is also the Executive Director of the National Health and Innovation Centre, National Medical Research Council, sits on the (Translational) Scientific Grant Review Committee, SingHealth Research Foundation, and is a panel member for the Clinician-scientist Residents, SAB Scholarship Administration, Ministry of Health.
In addition to being an invited speaker at numerous international scientific and ophthalmological conferences, Professor Wong is an international examiner for the Royal College of Edinburgh of Surgeons (Ophthalmology), is on the Associate Advisory Board for, and is co-chair of the scientific programme for the 2021 World Glaucoma Congress. Professor Wong is the founder and President of the Glaucoma Association Singapore.