Center/Research Area Affiliation

• Cornea Center of Excellence

Biography

A native of the ancient Greek island of Kos, the birthplace of Hippocrates, Dr. Paschalis completed his doctorate in medicine, with excellence. Today, at Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear, Dr. Paschalis aims to improve the Boston keratoprosthesis artificial cornea, develop novel implantable glaucoma valves and keratoprosthesis devices, develop micro-optomechanical pressure systems for intraocular pressure measurements, design groundbreaking materials for vitreoretinal surgery, design and develop new drug delivery systems for biologic therapies.

He is the Director of Innovation and Research, Development, and Regulatory Affairs at Boston Keratoprosthesis and investigates new ideas and strategies to improve corneal prosthesis. His main research involves the mitigation of retina damage after ocular injuries, and in particular the study of the role of microglial cells in neurodegeneration and neuroglial remodeling. In this context, he develops targeted antibody therapies for retinal neuroprotection. Dr. Paschalis' work extends into clinical research, in which he studies various inflammatory markers for the early detection of glaucoma in patients who received Boston keratoprosthesis surgery.

Education

2000: BEng (with honors), Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Coventry University, UK

2002: MSc, Telecommunications Technology, Astong University, UK

2010: PhD, Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Democritus University, Greece

Postgraduate Training

2011-2013: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

Teaching

2006: Democritus University, Ophthalmology: Safety and Hazards in Medical LASER. Medical MSc program

2004-2005: Public Occupational Training Institute (IEK), Alexandroupolis, Greece: Network Technicians. Lecturer in the Electrical and Digital Measurements program

2002-2003: Public Occupational Training Institute (IEK), Kos, Dodecanese, Greece: Computer Engineers and Automated Systems

2002-2003: Private Occupational Training Institute (IEK ANKO EPSILON), Kos, Dodecanese, Greece: Computer science ECDL program

Academic Appointments

2011: Senior Research Scholar, Massachusetts Eye and Ear

2013: Instructor in Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School and Investigator, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear

Honors

2017: Fight for Sight Award (Principal Investigator/PI)

2016: Honorarium-Invited guest speaker at our 28th University of Montreal Ophthalmology Research Day

2015: Lions Award (Co-PI)

2015: Lions Award (PI)

2014: Eleanor and Miles Shore 50th Anniversary Fellowships for Scholars in Medicine, Harvard Cornea Center

2014: Life Achievement Award in Medicine, the Dodecanese Society of New England

2013:First Award of Best Paper Session, second author, European Society of Cornea and Ocular Surface Disease Specialists, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

2013: First Scientific Award, New England Ophthalmological Society (NEOS)

2007: Second Scientific Award, 1st Interuniversity Ophthalmoloy Congress, Greece.

2005: Recognition Award from the Greek Institution of Foreign Education, Greece.

2004: Pythagoras Research Support award, EU and Greek Ministry of Education (EPEAEK II)

2000: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), MSc Scholarship, UK

Titanium Modification in Boston Keratoprosthesis

The aim of this study was to improve the cosmesis of the Boston keratoprosthesis, and thus, the social acceptance of patients. This study was based on a surface modification technique that involved coloring the titanium backplates with an inert and biocompatible oxide layer. This modification was assessed in vitro with human corneal epithelial, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells and in vivo in rabbits. Moreover, the Ti surface was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction crystallography (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and chemical/color stability.

Novel Glaucoma Valves Based on Ferromagnetic Particles

The aim of this study was to design and test a novel glaucoma valve with an opening and closing pressure that could be implanted extraocularly without leading to hypotony. Such architecture provides the opportunity to replace the valve non-surgically. Soft lithography was used to fabricate the valve, and a water-immiscible magnetic fluid (ferrofluid) was used as a pressure-sensitive barrier to aqueous flow. Integrated rare earth micro-magnets were used to calibrate the opening and closing pressure. In-vitro flow measurements were performed to characterize the valve and to compare it to the AhmedTM glaucoma valve. The reliability and predictability of the new valve was verified by pressure/flow measurements over a period of three months and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis over a period of eight weeks. In vivo assessment was performed in rabbits.

Preliminary in vivo results suggest that the valve is biocompatible and capable of controlling the intraocular pressure in rabbits. These results are very promising, and more thorough investigations of this device are underway.

Novel Material for Extracting Silicone Oil from the Intraocular Lens

The aim of this study was to develop an innovative material and to design a new surgical instrument for the removal of silicone oil during vitrectomy surgery. This work led to a patent application. Two materials were created based on atomic 4 structure modification and polymer micro-fabrication techniques. The materials are currently under in vivo investigation.

Inhibition of Retinal Damage in Severe Ocular Chemical Burns

This study assessed the retinal damage after alkali burns to the cornea and the protective effect of TNF blockade against retinal apoptosis. Over the years, investigators have struggled with methods to restore cornea transparency after chemical burns. We now know that retinal damage plays a much greater role than originally suspected. In this study, we demonstrated that a severe alkali burn on the cornea leads to retina ganglion cell (RGC) layer apoptosis within 24 hours after the burn. Thus, apoptosis of the RGC body can be profound in this period of time. This study suggests that the alkali burn to the cornea can elicit the formation of destructive inflammatory cytokines in the anterior segment of the eye and that these substances can diffuse rapidly backward to damage the retina within 24 hours. Our results suggest that TNF-α inhibition could potentially provide protection against glaucoma in alkali injuries.

Glaucoma and Boston Keratoprosthesis

This study looked for the presence of inflammatory cytokines in the blood of patients with glaucoma and Boston keratoprosthesis. This study provided, for the first time, data on very important inflammatory markers associated with glaucoma and will attempt to elucidate possible differences in glaucoma pathogenesis. The results of this study may provide the basis for treatment customization and targeted anti-glaucoma therapies. In addition, this study may help to propose alternative pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease based on inflammatory markers. This study is led by Dr. Lucy Shen, of Harvard Ophthalmology/Mass. Eye and Ear.

Drug Delivery System for Sustained Topical Delivery of Biologic Agents

This drug delivery system involves a hydrophobic polymer scaffold and a hydrogel impregnated with one or more biologic drugs. The sustained and selective release of biologics to localized tissue has many advantages, mainly maximizing the bioavailability and minimizing systemic side effects.

Optical Domain Micro-Pressure Sensor and the Boston Keratoprosthesis

Intraocular pressure cannot be directly measured in Boston KPro patients due to the rigidity of the device. However, many of these patients develop glaucoma, presumably due to undetected elevation of intraocular pressure. To overcome this problem, Dr. Paschalis embeds an optical pressure transducer in the Boston KPro stem to perform intraocular measurements with an external fiber optic cable connected to a light source.