Vision Research Seminar

Alfonso Iovieno, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FACS
SPEAKER
Clinical Associate Professor
Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences

Biography: 

Alfonso Iovieno is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Iovieno obtained his medical degree and completed his Ophthalmology residency at University Campus Bio-medico in Rome, Italy.  He then sub-specialized in cornea, external diseases, ocular surface and complex anterior segment surgery during his 3 years of fellowship training at the University of Toronto, Canada and Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, UK. Dr. Iovieno also completed a Ph.D. in ocular microbiology and immunology between University Campus Bio-medico and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida. His research focus has spanned from ocular surface immunology to corneal infections, corneal transplantation and biomaterials. He has won numerous awards and recognitions and holds several patents for biomedical devices. Dr. Iovieno regularly presents and moderates at national and international meetings and has been extensively involved in training courses on the latest techniques for corneal transplantation. He is a member of the bord of directors of the Italian Society of Corneal Transplantation, member with thesis of the Cornea Society and the Tearfilm and Ocular Surface Society Ambassador for Western Canada. He has authored over 90 papers in peer-reviewed journals and 15 book chapters. 

Johan Foster, PhD
SPEAKER
Associate Professor
NSERC Canfor Industrial Research Chair in Advanced Bioproducts
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

Biography:

Dr. Johan Foster is an associate professor at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UBC, who holds the NSERC Canfor Industrial Research Chair in advanced bioproducts. His research focuses on the design, synthesis and engineering of bio-inspired functional polymers and nanocomposites. Novel bio-derived materials developed through his research are finding use or commercial potential in cartilage tissue engineering, in drug-release formulations to improve tissue response to mechanically adaptive cortical implants, in fragrance release technologies, and in highly novel photo-switchable nanocomposite materials, amongst a range of many promising applications. He has recently been awarded the 2020 Kingfa Young Investigator Award, and the 2021 TAPPI NANO Mid-Career Award. His graduated HQP include 16 Ph.D. students, 10 masters students, 6 post-doctoral researchers, over 75 undergraduates and numerous visiting scholars. He has published over 100 peer reviewed journal articles, authored 7 patents, with an H-index of 45 and over 8000 citations.

Roza Vaez Ghaemi, PhD, EIT
SPEAKER
Lecturer
School of Biomedical Engineering

Title of Presentation:

A biomaterial-based approach for corneal stromal replacement

Biography: 

Dr. Vaez Ghaemi obtained her B.Sc. degree in biomedical engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran in 2011. She then joined UBC for a PhD in Biomedical Engineering in 2014 and is now an Engineering in Training with Engineers and Geoscientists BC and a lecturer in biomedical engineering at the University of British Columbia. During her PhD, she was involved in different projects. Her PhD thesis focuses on the assembly of brain organoids (mini brains made in the lab) for use as a model for drug screening. She has also worked on a biomaterial-based approach for replacing the damaged stroma and DMEC.

Justyna Maria Piotrowska, MS
SPEAKER
PhD Student (Upcoming)
University of Stuttgart
University of British Columbia

Title of Presentation: 

Development of a smart polymer system with controllable porosity to treat corneal endothelial dysfunction

Biography: 

Justyna Maria Piotrowska will be starting her PhD in a joint Chemistry programme between the University of Stuttgart and the University of British Columbia starting in Novemeber 2023. Previously, she was a trainee in Dr. Johan Foster's Advanced Materials Group at the University of British Columbia.

Piotrowska completed a Master of Biomedical Engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology. She received her Bachelor of Science degree at Maastricht University.

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