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Prof Mehta Jodhbir

Prof Jodhbir Mehta

MBBS, FRCOphth, FRCS(Ed), FAMS, PhD (UK)

Executive Director, Singapore Eye Research Institute

Research Interest:

Corneal Wound Healing
Cell Therapy – Endothelial, Stromal
Femtosecond Lasers
Drug Delivery
Protein Aggregation Diseases

Research Appointments

Executive Director, Singapore Eye Research Institute
Clinician Scientist, Singapore Eye Research Institute

Academic Appointments

Academic Vice Chair, Research SingHealth Duke-NUS Ophthalmology ＆ Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Programme

Professor SingHealth Duke-NUS Ophthalmology ＆ Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Programme

Clinical Appointments

Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Research) Singapore National Eye Centre
Senior Consultant Corneal ＆ External Eye Disease Department Singapore National Eye Centre
Director of Education, SD Transplant Centre, Programme Director, Corneal Transplant Programme and Senior Consultant SingHealth Duke-NUS Transplant Centre
Deputy Head SingHealth Duke-NUS Cell Therapy Centre
Senior Consultant Refractive Surgery Department Singapore National Eye Centre
Senior Consultant Cataract ＆ Comprehensive Ophthalmology Department Singapore National Eye Centre

Profile

Professor Jodhbir Mehta graduated from Guys and St Thomas’s Medical School, University of London, UK in 1995. He completed his basic and advanced specialist training at Moorfields Eye Hospital, UK and sub-specialised fellowship training in Cornea External Disease and Refractive Surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital and Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC).

He is a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, UK; Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh; American Academy of Ophthalmology; Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology; Singapore-Malaysian Ophthalmology Society; Asian Corneal Society and The Corneal Society (US).

Professor Mehta has won 45 awards in the UK and internationally for clinical and research work, most recently the Nakajima award for 2013 (Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology), American Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Achievement Award 2017 and Coster Lecture from the Australian Corneal Society 2018.

His work profile is divided between clinical work (seeing patients) and research. His clinical work is mainly in corneal transplantation - both basic and advanced forms, anterior segment reconstruction and in refractive surgery.

Professor Mehta’s research interests cover all aspects of corneal external disease and refractive surgery from basic science, translational and clinical research. These include laboratory-based research investigating the culturing of human corneal endothelial cell proliferation and studies on patients with corneal genetic disorders; translational research involving the use of different polymers for skirts for an artificial cornea; development of a new instrument for corneal transplantation; novel techniques for effects of femtosecond ablation on stromal ablation and development of novel drug delivery devices.

His clinical based research involves research into imaging devices for the cornea; case comparative cohorts of new selective tissue transplantation procedures compared to penetrating keratoplasty; examining complications and outcomes of these new procedures. He is also involved in collaborative research studies in randomised controlled clinical trials in dry eye and a large multicentre infectious keratitis study.

Professor Jodhbir Mehta is also committed to clinical teaching other surgeons both in Singapore and internationally in USA, Europe and Asia on Advanced forms of corneal transplantation and Corneal Imaging and has been invited worldwide to give lectures on these surgical techniques.

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships

Adjunct Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Board of Directors, Corneal Society (USA) (2018)
Fellow, Royal Society of Medicine (2017 - present)
Member, Executive Committee, International Society of Refractive Surgeons (ISRS) (2017 - present)

Member, Executive Committee, Singapore National Eye Centre (2015 - present)
Member, Strategic Planning Committee, Singapore Eye Research Institute (2015 - present)
Examiner, Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (2013 - present)
Member, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO); European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS); European Society of Cornea and Ocular Surface Disease Specialists (EuCornea); Asia Cornea Society (ACS); The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO); Singapore Society of Ophthalmology (SSO); Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCO); Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh (RCS Ed) (2003 - present)

Education

PhD (UK) (2017)
FAMS (2013)
FRCS(Ed) (2006)
FRCOphth (2000)
MBBS (1995)
BSc (1994)

Awards

Charles Tillett Lecture, Fuchs Symposium USA (2020)
Casebeer Award, International Society of Refractive Surgeons, AAO, USA (2020)
Oculi Auream Award, IIRSI, India (2019)
Cornea Oration , ISCKRS, India (2019)
Coster Lecture, Australia and New Zealand Cornea Society (2018)

Gold Medal, International Intraocular Implant and Refractive Society of India (2017)
Senior Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (2017)
Best Paper of Session – Femtosecond Laser Assisted Pterygium Surgery, American Society of Cataract
and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS) (2017)
Mahatma Gandhi Samman Award, NRI Welfare Society of India (2017)
Gold Award , Singapore Health Quality Service Award, SingHealth (2017)
Outstanding Service in Prevention of Blindness Award, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) (2017)
Long Service Award, SingHealth / Singapore National Eye Centre (2016)
Asian Guest Lecture, Kyoto Corneal Club (2016)
Best Poster 2^nd Place, Corneal Section, Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS) (2016)
Best Paper of Session – Presbyopia Cornea Inlays, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (2016)
Distinguished Researcher Award, SingHealth Excellence Award (2016)
Singapore Society of Ophthalmology Lecture (2016)
Clinician Scientist Award-INV, National Medical Research Council (2015)
1^st Prize Refractive Poster Award, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) (2015)
Gold Medal, International Intraocular Implant and Refractive Society of India (2015)
Silver Award, Singapore Health Quality Service Award, SingHealth (2015)
Dr. P Siva Reddy Oration Medal, Andhra Pradesh Ophthalmological Society (2014)
Service in Ophthalmology Gold Medal, Eye Advance/Bombay Ophthalmology Association (2014)
Achievement Award, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) (2013)
Nakajima Award, Asia-Pacific Academy for Ophthalmology (APAO) (2013)
Global Luminary Award for ReLEx SMILE Surgery, Carl Zeiss Meditec (2013)
Best Video 2^nd Place, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS) (2012)
International Ophthalmologist Education Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (2011)
Best Poster, Corneal Section, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (2011)
Best Paper, Carl Zeiss International User Group Meeting (2011)
Travel Grant, HKVF Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) (2010)
Khoo Investigator Development Program, Duke-NUS Medical School (2009)
Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (2009)
International Travel Fellowship, Asia-ARVO (2009)
Best Video, Corneal Section, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (2008)
Best Video, New Surgical Techniques Category, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) (2008)
Best Video, Refractive Cornea Category, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ASCRS) (2008)
Best Free Paper, Corneal Section, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (2007)
Best Poster, Corneal Section, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (2007)
International Travel Grant, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) (2007)
Best Poster, Corneal Section, American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (2006)

Research Studies

SERI Pilot Grant R512/61/2006. PI $7,983.9. Investigating the genetic basis of Fuchs corneal endothelial dystrophy: Screening of potential candidate gene. 1/07-3/07
SNEC-HREF Grant R504/53/2006. PI $2,781.32. Changing patterns and emerging trends in infectious keratitis. Sub-study: Contact lens related infectious keratitis. 1/08-1/11
SNEC-HREF Grant R526/14/2007. PI $12,700.65. Evaluate the Utility of Anterior Segment OCT (AS-OCT) compared to Standard assessment in the diagnosis, management and surgery of Corneal and Anterior Segment Disorders. 4/07-4/09
NMRC Translational Clinical Research Grant, Translational Research Innovations in Ocular Surgery R620/2008 – Femtosecond Laser R620/41/2008 Co-PI $2.9M, Biological Tissue glue R623/44/2008 Co-PI $1.03M 06/08-08/13
NMRC New Investigator Grant R711/61/2009. PI $200,000. Effect of Fibrin glue on Human cell morphology for harvesting descemets membrane/endothelium for transplantation. 11/09-3/12
Shaw Foundation Grant R684/34/2009 Co-PI $1.4M. Comparison of Novel Biomaterials for Synthetic OOKP. 6/09-6/14
NMRC Centre Grant R740/24/2010CG4(1) Co-PI $1.46M. Tissue Engineering and wound healing: Umbilical cord lining cells. 4/10-9/13
BMRC Translational Clinical Research Program Grant R827/22/2011. Lead Team PI $3.98M ($2.6M). Innovations in tissue engineering of selective corneal cell layers for corneal transplantation 7/11-12/14
NMRC CS-IRG R978/87/2012 PI $778,810 Protein Aggregation Diseases: Clinical Manifestations to Biochemical Characterization for the intervention of TGFBI-associated Corneal Dystrophies. 12/12-12/15
SNEC-HREF Grant R956/65/2012 PI. $16,000. Survey study comparing contact lenses and LASIK for vision correction. 11/12-11/13
SNEC-HREF Grant R1071/86/2013 PI. $14,113.19. Analysis of Composition and proteolytic processing of corneal aggregates associated with mutations in the TGFBI Gene. 12/13-12/15
SNEC-HREF Grant R1002/17/2013. PI. $19,979.04. Comparison of Anterior Chamber inflammation of DSAEK versus DSAEK combined with phacoemulsification and IOL. 5/13-5/15
SNEC-HREF Grant R1076/91/2013. PI $8,462.31. Structure and Biophysics drive Ligand screening for potential compounds that modulate TGFBI aggregates. 12/13-12/15
NMRC Translational Clinical Research Grant, Eye Site R1020/35/2013 – The Bionic Cornea, R1021/36/2013 PI $4.15M SGD, Femtosecond Laser Assisted Ocular Surgery Systems. PI $3.71M SGD. 8/13-7/18
BEP POC Grant R1307/113/2015 Clinical PI $499,770. Dielectric Fresnel Zone Plate Lens: Enabling Submicron Resolution Femtosecond Laser for the Next Generation Corneal Refractive Surgery. 06/15-12/16
SNEC-HREF Grant R1209/15/2015. PI $20,002.95. TGFBIp associated Corneal Dystrophy structure determination of amyloid fibrils by solid state NMR. 6/15-6/17
NMRC CSA-INV Grant R XXXXX PI $1.5749M. Analysis of Oxidative Stress in Cultured and Diseased Human Corneal Endothelial Cells. 12/15-12/18
SNEC-HREF Comparison of Clinical Outcomes of Ziemer LDV Z8 Femtosecond Laser-assisted Cataract Surgery versus Conventional Phacoemulsification Cataract Surgery. PI $19,998
SNEC-HREF Analysis of protein, lipid and metabolite composition of corneal aggregates associated with mutations in the TGFBI gene by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) Imaging Mass Spectrometry (IMS). PI $20,000
SNEC-HREF Characterisation of peptides enriched in the corneal deposits of TGFBI associated corneal dystrophy patients. PI S19,989
SNEC-HREF Metagenomics survey of microbial population present in the corneal epithelium of TGFBI associated corneal dystrophy patients PI 19,955
NMRC CTG IIT Grant RXX PI $1.249M. Safety and Efficacy of Tissue Engineered Endothelial Keratoplasty (TE-EK). 10/17-10/20
SNEC HREF Topical application of compounds that modulate stability of TGFBIp and inhibit HTRA1 enzymatic activity in Lattice Corneal Dystrophy patients
A*STAR The Molecular Therapeutic Programme Grant RXX Co-PI $20.4M ($3.6M). 10/17-10/22/
SNEC-HREF Ocular Surface Gene Expression and Microbiome as Biomarkers in Cicatricial (Scarring) Conjunctivitis PI $20,000
A*STAR (EBC) GMP-compliant platform for the in vitro expansion and enrichment of human corneal endothelial cells (hCENCs) for corneal transplantation. Co-PI $1.1M (220K). 9/17

Publications

From list of 407 H index 54

Liu YC, Teo EP,1 Ang HP, Xin Yi Seah XY, Chan NS, Yam GHF, Mehta JS. Biological corneal inlay for presbyopia derived from small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). Sci Report in Press IF
Liu YC, Ng XW, Teo EP, Ang HP, Lwin NC, Chan NS, Venkatraman SS, Wong TT, Mehta JS. A Biodegradable, Sustained-Released, Tacrolimus Microfilm Drug Delivery System for the Management of Allergic Conjunctivitis in a Mouse Model. IOVS in Press
Lim C, Stapleton F, Mehta JS. A Review of Contact Lens Complications. Eye & Contact Lens 2017;3 IF 1.25
Damgaard IB, Ang M, Farook M, Htoon HM, Mehta JS. Intraoperative patient experience and postoperative visual quality after SMILE and LASIK in a randomized, paired-eye, controlled study. JRS in Press
Lovatt M, Yam GHF, Peh GS, Colman A, Dunn NR, Mehta JS. Directed differentiation of periocular mesenchyme from human embryonic stem cells. Differentiation in Press
Soh YQ, Peh GS, Mehta JS. Evolving Therapies for Fuchs' Endothelial Dystrophy. Regenerative Medicine in Press
Woo JH, Iyer JV, Lim L, Hla MH, Mehta JS, Chan CM, Tan DT. Conventional versus Accelerated collagen cross-linking for Keratoconus: A comparison of Visual, Refractive, Topographic and Biomechanical Outcomes. Open Ophthalmol J 2017;11:262-272
Peh GS, Ang HP, Lwin CN, Adnan K, George BL, Seah XY, Bhogal M, Liu YC, Tan DT, Mehta JS. Propagating Human Corneal Endothelial Cells – Towards Regulatory Compliance and Clinical Application via a Tissue-Engineering Approach. Sci Report in Press
Soh YQ, Mehta JS. Selective Endothelial removal for Peters Anomaly. Cornea in Press. 290. Liu YC, Williams GP, George BL, Soh YQ, Seah XY, Peh GS, Yam GH, Mehta JS. Corneal lenticule storage prior to re-implantation. Mol Vision in Press

Tags: Cataract ＆ Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Corneal ＆ External Eye Disease, Refractive Surgery, Corneal ＆ External Eye Disease, Cataract ＆ Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Refractive Surgery, Astigmatism, Cataract Surgery, Corneal Infections, Hyperopia (Long-sightedness), Myopia (Short-sightedness or Near-sightedness), Presbyopia (Lao Hua)