Dr. Tseng serves as Director of Research & Development of TissueTech, Inc., Medical Director and Consultant of Bio-Tissue, Inc., and Director of Research & Development of Bio-Lipid, Inc.

Dr. Tseng supervises Research Programs,

  • Investigating the pathogenesis of ocular surface and tear diseases
  • Inventing new tools for improving the diagnosis of ocular surface diseases
  • Developing new medical and surgical treatments for ocular surface diseases

Research Team (Partial List for Year 2004):

  • Scheffer C. G. Tseng, M.D., Ph.D., Director
  • Topaz Kirlew, MT(ASCP), MBA, Executive VP Technical & Clinical Affairs
  • Hua He, Ph.D., Molecular Biologist
  • Shan Zhang, Ph.D., Laboratory Manager
  • Edgar Espana, M.D., Research Fellow (Colombia)
  • Tetsuya Kawakita, M.D., Research Fellow (Japan)
  • Mario Di Pascuale, M.D., Research Fellow (Venezuela)
  • Wei Li, M.D., Research Fellow (China)
  • Ying-Ying Gao, M.D., Research Fellow (China)
  • Alireza Baradaran-Rafii , M.D., Research Fellow (Iran)
  • Antonio Elizondo, M. D., Research Fellow (Mexico)
  • Kevin Guo, M.D., Research Fellow (Taiwan)
Research Fellows of 2004 Research Team at BT in 2004
Dr. Sun and Dr. Tseng 2002

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Advisors:

  • Tung-Tien Sun, Ph.D.
    Ruldof L. Baer Professor, Department of Dermatology,
    New York Univeristy School of Medicine
  • Winston W-Y Kao, Ph.D.
    Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cincinnati

Collaborators:

  • Jean-Marie Parel, Ph.D.
    Henri and Flore Lesieur Chair Professor, Department of Ophthalmology,
    Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine
  • Susanne Binder, M.D.
    Professor & Chair, Department of Ophthalmology,
    Rudolph Foundation Hospital, Vienna, Austria
  • Kazuo Tsubota, M.D.
    Professor & Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology
    Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
  • Chia-yang Liu, Ph.D.
    Assistant Professor, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami
Dr. Parel and Dr. Tseng 2001 Dr. Tsubota and Dr. Tseng 2001

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Basic Research Projects

  • Exploring the action mechanism of amniotic membrane transplantation with respect to its anti-scarring, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic effects
  • Exploring the mechanism of corneal invasion of pterygium
  • Exploring the mechanism of recurrence of pterygium
  • Exploring the mechanism of connective tissue laxity in conjunctivochalasis
  • Exploring the mechanism by which amniotic membrane supports and expand epithelial stem cells
  • Identifying markers for epithelial stem cells
  • Exploring the mechanism by which limbal stem cell deficiency develops
  • Developing new tissue engineering products using amniotic membrane matrix
  • Testing gene therapies targeted at the epithelial stem cells
  • Exploring ex vivo expansion of RPE cells on amniotic membrane
  • Exploring new therapies to control conjunctival inflammation
  • Exploring the role of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in wound healing
  • Developing Kinetic analysis of tear interference images to diagnose lipid tear deficiency
  • Exploring new treatments of meibomian gland dysfunction
  • Exploring how amniotic membrane matrix can be used to maintain the cell phenotype of such mesenchymal cells as keratocytes
  • Exploring the anti-scarring mechanism of amniotic membrane matrix

Clinical Research Projects

  • Reviewing clinical data of amniotic membrane transplantation and keratolimbal allograft help patients with limbal stem cell deficiency using a new immunosuppression regimen
  • Reviewing surgical videos to see how surgical procedures of various reconstruction procedures are performed.
  • Reviewing Impression cytology data concerning its use in diagnosing ocular surface disorders including limbal stem deficiency
  • Development and testing a new synthetic meibum lipid formulation for treating lipid tear deficiency
  • Testing how kinetic analysis of tear interference can be used to diagnose lipid tear deficiency
  • Exploring blink-related microtrauma as a new pathogenic factor for ocular surface diseases
  • Exploring whether acute tarsal ulceration is the key reason of developing cicatricial complications on the cornea in Stevens Johnson syndrome
  • Exploring new surgical strategies to deepen the fornix
  • Exploring the new surgical strategies to restore the lacrimal gland function in cicatricial ocular surface diseases

    [Note]: Foreign scholars (fellows) will only participate in data analysis or review of current data collected in basic research or previous clinical research. There is no direct patient care.

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Research Supports

  • National Institute of Health, National Eye Institute
    RO1 EY06819 - 9/30/2000 - 9/29/2005
    Ex Vivo Expansion of Limbal Epithelial Stem Cells
  • National Institute of Health, National Eye Institute
    R43 EY014768 – 4/01/2003 – 9/30/2003
    Development of Sutureless Amniotic Membrane Graft
  • National Institute of Health, National Eye Institute
    RO1 EY015735 – 10/01/2004 – 9/30/2008
    Transplantation of Expanded Limbal Epithelial Stem Cells
  • National Institute of Health, National Eye Institute
    R43EY015592 – 11/01/2004 – 4/30/05
    Ex Vivo Expansion of RPE Cells by Amniotic Membrane
  • TissueTech, Inc.
    Research & Development Grant
  • Ocular Surface Foundation
    Research & Educational Grant

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