Dimitri Azar, MD, MBA

Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology. Bioengineering and Pharmacology
B.A. Field Chair in Ophthalmologic Research
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago

Education

BS/MD—American University of Beirut, Lebanon
Residency—Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School
Research Fellowship in Cornea-Morphology—Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School
Clinical Fellowship in Cornea and External Eye Disease—Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary
MBA—University of Chicago, Booth Graduate School of Business

Recent Honors and Awards

2016    Castroviejo Award-recognition of exceptional contributions in support of the Society’s mission, AAO American Academy of Ophthalmology
2016    Ramon Castroviejo Award, Cornea Society
2016    John McLean Medal, Weill Cornell Medical College
2016    Distinguished Service Award, ARVO. Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
2015    Life Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology
2014    Gold Fellow, ARVO. Association of Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Outstanding service to the eye and vision community
2013    Jose Barraquer Award, International Society of Refractive Surgery, American Academy of Ophthalmology

Recent Publications

Zhong W, Montana M, Santosa SM, Isjwara ID, Huang YH, Han KY, O'Neil C, Wang A, Cortina MS, de la Cruz J, Zhou Q, Rosenblatt MI, Chang JH, Azar DT. Angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in corneal transplantation-A review. Surv Ophthalmol. 2018 Jul - Aug;63(4):453-479.

Zhong W, Gao X, Wang S, Han K, Ema M, Adams S, Adams RH, Rosenblatt MI, Chang JH, Azar DT. Prox1-GFP/Flt1-DsRed transgenic mice: an animal model for simultaneous live imaging of angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Angiogenesis. 2017 Nov;20(4):581-598.

Nelson JD, Craig JP, Akpek EK, Azar DT, Belmonte C, Bron AJ, Clayton JA, Dogru M, Dua HS, Foulks GN, Gomes JAP, Hammitt KM, Holopainen J, Jones L, Joo CK, Liu Z, Nichols JJ, Nichols KK, Novack GD, Sangwan V, Stapleton F, Tomlinson A, Tsubota K, Willcox MDP, Wolffsohn JS, Sullivan DA. TFOS DEWS II Introduction. Ocul Surf. 2017 Jul;15(3):269-275.

Kinori M, Wehrli S, Kassem IS, Azar NF, Maumenee IH, Mets MB. Biometry Characteristics in Adults and Children With Marfan Syndrome: From the Marfan Eye Consortium of Chicago. Am J Ophthalmol. 2017 May;177:144-149.

Han KY, Tran JA, Chang JH, Azar DT, Zieske JD. Potential role of corneal epithelial cell-derived exosomes in corneal wound healing and neovascularization. Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 6;7:40548.

Gomes JAP, Azar DT, Baudouin C, Efron N, Hirayama M, Horwath-Winter J, Kim T, Mehta JS, Messmer EM, Pepose JS, Sangwan VS, Weiner AL, Wilson SE, Wolffsohn JS. TFOS DEWS II iatrogenic report. Ocul Surf. 2017 Jul;15(3):511-538.

Giri P, Azar DT. Risk profiles of ectasia after keratorefractive surgery. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2017 Jul;28(4):337-342.

Craig JP, Nelson JD, Azar DT, Belmonte C, Bron AJ, Chauhan SK, de Paiva CS, Gomes JAP, Hammitt KM, Jones L, Nichols JJ, Nichols KK, Novack GD, Stapleton FJ, Willcox MDP, Wolffsohn JS, Sullivan DA. TFOS DEWS II Report Executive Summary. Ocul Surf. 2017 Oct;15(4):802-812.

Chang JH, Putra I, Huang YH, Chang M, Han K, Zhong W, Gao X, Wang S, Dugas-Ford J, Nguyen T, Hong YK, Azar DT. Limited versus total epithelial debridement ocular surface injury: Live fluorescence imaging of hemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in Prox1-GFP/Flk1::Myr-mCherry mice. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Oct;1860(10):2148-56.

Chang JH, Putra I, Huang YH, Chang M, Han K, Zhong W, Gao X, Wang S, Dugas-Ford J, Nguyen T, Hong YK, Azar DT. Limited versus total epithelial debridement ocular surface injury: Live fluorescence imaging of hemangiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in Prox1-GFP/Flk1::Myr-mCherry mice. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Oct;1860(10):2148-56.

Chang JH, Huang YH, Cunningham CM, Han KY, Chang M, Seiki M, Zhou Z, Azar DT. Matrix metalloproteinase 14 modulates signal transduction and angiogenesis in the cornea. Surv Ophthalmol. 2016 Jul-Aug;61(4):478-97.