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Assoc Prof Liu Yu-Chi

Assoc Prof Liu Yu-Chi

​MCI, MD, PhD

Clinician Scientist

Cornea and Refractive Surgery Group

SERI

Research Interest:
  • Corneal neuropathy
  • Cornea and external eye diseases
  • Corneal imaging
  • Corneal nerves 

Research Appointments

  • Cornea and Refractive Surgery Group
  • Deputy Head and Principal Investigator, Tissue Engineering & Cell Therapy Research Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute

Academic Appointments

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

Clinical Appointments

  • Clinician Scientist Corneal & External Eye Disease Department Singapore National Eye CentreSingapore National Eye Centre

Profile

A/Prof Liu Yu-Chi received her medical degree (MD) from Taipei Medical University, Taiwan in 2005. She gained her specialist accreditation in Ophthalmology in 2009 and completed her fellowship training in Cornea and External Eye Diseases in Taiwan. She obtained the Master of Clinical Investigation (MCI) from National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2015, and PhD in Clinical Science from Duke-NUS Medical School in 2022.

A/Prof Liu’s clinical and research work is internationally recognised. She has published 106 peer-reviewed papers, including two in prestigious journals: LANCET and LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE. She has won 16 international or national awards, including Achievement Award of Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, SingHealth Distinguished Young Researcher Award, 1st Presentation Award and Best Paper Award at Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons Congress (twice), Best Presentation Award at European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons Congress, Singapore NMRC Clinician Scientist Award (CSA), and NMRC Transition Award (TA).

A/Prof Liu has given more than 108 invited talks or presentations in international meetings. She is on the Editorial Board as the Editor for 4 journals and participated in writing 4 leading clinical textbook chapters. She also actively mentors medical students, residents and fellows.

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships

  • Member, World Cornea Society (2022-present)

  • Woman in Ophthalmology, USA (2018 - present)

  • Member, Asian Dry Eye Society (2016 – present)

  • Member, European Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (2015 – present)

  • Member, Asian Corneal Society (2014 – present)

  • Member, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (USA) (2013 – present)

  • Member, American Academy of Ophthalmology (USA) (2012 – present)

  • Member, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (USA) (2010 – present)

Education

  • PhD (2022)
  • MCI (2015)
  • MD (2005)

Awards

  • Clinician Scientist Award, National Medical Research Council, Singapore (2022)

  • Best Poster Award, Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS) Congress—Refractive Surgery Category (2021)

  • Best Poster Award, Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS) Congress—Cataract Surgery Category (2021)

  • Awardee of Academic Development Program, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) (2019)

  • Achievement Award, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology(2019)

  • Distinguished Young Researcher Award, SingHealth(2019)

  • National Medical Research Council Fellowship/Scholarship, Singapore(2018)

  • Transition Award, National Medical Research Council, Singapore(2017)

  • 1st Prize Presentation Award, European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) Congress(2015)

  • Outstanding Fellow Award, Singapore Eye Research Institute(2015)

  • Travel Grant Award, World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) (2014)

  • ExxonMobil-NUS Research Fellowship for Clinicians Award(2013)

  • Healthcare Research Scholarship Award, Ministry of Health(2013)

  • First in National Board Ophthalmology Examination, Taiwan (2009)

  • Best Resident Oral Presentation, 48th Annual Meeting of Taiwan Ophthalmological Society(2008)

  • Academic Top Scholarship (class standing: number one), Taipei Medical University, Taiwan(2003)

  • Excellent Scholarship (class standing: top five), Shui-Wang Ho Medical Foundation, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan (2001-2004)

Research Studies

  • Risk Stratification of Neuropathic Ocular Surface Dysfunction Using Neural Imaging Metrics, Molecular Biomarkers, and Artificial Intelligence (2021-Present)

  • Evaluation of effect of PPARα on corneal nerve regeneration in diabetes (2021-Present)

  • Evaluation of corneal nerves with confocal microscopy imaging systems (2020-Present)

  • Artificial intelligence in corneal diseases and refractive surgery (2019-Present)

  • Phase IIa clinical trial on the use of biological inlay for presbyopia treatment (2019-Present)

  • Corneal nerve regeneration after refractive surgery (2018-Present)

  • The applications of Terahertz scanning system on corneas (2017-Present)

  • Evaluation of safety and efficacy of tacrolimus-loaded liposomal drug delivery system in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis (2016-Present)

  • Evaluation of the efficacy of novel treatment for presbyopia, scleral Er:YAG laser procedure (2016-Present)

Publications

  1. Liu YC, Wilkins M, Kim T, Malyugin B, Mehta JS. Cataracts. Lancet 2017;390(10094):600-612.
  2. Liu YC, Rosman M, Mehta JS. Enhancement following small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE): incidence, risk factors, and outcomes. Ophthalmology 2017;124(6):813-21.
  3. Liu YC, Devarajan K, Tan TE, Ang M, Mehta JS. Optical coherence tomography angiography for evaluation of reperfusion following pterygium surgery. Am J Ophthalmol 2019 Nov;207:151-158.
  4. Liu YC, Ang M, Ong HS, Wong TY, Mehta JS. SARS-CoV-2 infection in conjunctival tissue. Lancet Respir Med 2020;87(7):e57.
  5. Liu YC, Yam GYH, MTY Lin, Teo EPW, Koh SW, Deng L, Zhou L, Tong L, Mehta JS. Comparison of tear proteomic and neuromediator profiles changes between small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) and femtosecond laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis. J Adv Res 2020; 29:67-81.
  6. Teo AWJ, Mansoor H, Sim N, Lin MTZ, Liu YC. In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Evaluation in Patients with Keratoconus. J Clin Med 2022;11(2):393.  
  7. Liu YC, Setiawan M, Chin JY, Wu B, Ong HS, Lamoureux E, Mehta JS. Randomized controlled trial comparing 1-year outcomes of low-energy femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery versus conventional phacoemulsification. Front Med 2021;8:811093.
  8. So WZ, Wong SQ, Tan HC, Mehta JS, Liu YC. Diabetic cornea neuropathy as the surrogate marker for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Neural Regen Res 2022:17(10):2172-78.
  9. Ke L, Zheng N, Wu QY, Gorelik S, Abdelaziem A, Liu Z, Teo PW, Mehta JS, Liu YC. In vivo sensing of rabbit cornea by Terahertz technology. J Biophotonics 2021;.202100130.
  10. Chin JY, Lin TY, Lee XY, Mehta JS, Liu YC. Tear neuromediator and corneal denervation following small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). J Refract Surg 2021;37(8):516-523. 
  11. Ke L, Wu QY, Zhang N, Yang ZF, Teo EPW, Mehta JS, Liu YC. Terahertz spectroscopy analysis of human corneal sublayers. J Biomed Opt 2021;26(4):043011. 
  12. Ke L, Wu QY, Zhang N, Liu HW, Teo EPW, Mehta JS, Liu YC. Ex-vivo sensing and imaging of corneal scar tissue using terahertz time domain spectroscopy. Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2021; 255:119667.
  13. Yang LWY, Mehta JS, Liu YC. Corneal neuromediator profiles following laser refractive surgery. Neural Regen Res 2021;16(11):2177-2183.
  14. Mansoor H, Tan HC, MTY Lin, Mehta JS, Liu YC. Diabetic corneal neuropathy. J Clin Med 2020;9(12): E3956.
  15. Liu YC, Jung A, Jia AJS, Yang LWY, Mehta JS. Cross-sectional study on denervation in contralateral eyes following small incision lenticule extraction versus laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis.  J Refract Surg 2020;36(10): 653-660.
  16. Chin JY, Yang LWY, Ji AJS, Nubile M, Mastropasqua L, Allen JC, Mehta JS, Liu YC. Validation of the use of automated and manual quantitative analysis of corneal nerve plexus following refractive surgery.
  17. Liu YC, TY Lin, Mehta JS. Analysis of corneal nerve plexus in corneal confocal microscopy images. Neural Regen Res 2021;16(4):690-691.
  18. Liu YC, Ng XW, Teo EPW, Ang HP, Nyein CL, Chan SW, 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. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2018,59:675-684.
  19. Liu YC, Teo PW, Adnan KB, Yam GH, Peh GH, Tan DT, Mehta JS. Endothelial approach ultrathin corneal grafts prepared by femtosecond laser for Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2014;55:8393-401.
  20. Liu YC, Chou P, Wojciechowski R, Lin PY, Liu CJ, Chen SJ, Liu JH, Hsu WM, Cheng CY. Power vector analysis of refractive, corneal and internal astigmatism in an elderly Chinese population: the Shihpai Eye Study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2011;52:9651-7.