Meet the Team

James

James is a Professor of Optometry and Vision Science with over 20 years of clinical, academic, research and management experience. His primary clinical interests are in paediatrics and ocular disease. He is founder and Director of the Centre for Eye Research Ireland (CERI), a research facility at Technological University Dublin dedicated to providing state of the art solutions for blindness prevention.

Prof. James Loughman, PhD

Professor of Optometry and Vision Science / Head of CERI

John

John is a Mathematics and Statistics Lecturer at TU Dublin and a Principal Investigator at the Centre for Eye Research Ireland. John's primary research interests are in Neuroscience & Big Data analytics.

Dr. John Butler, PhD

Lecturer, School of Mathematical Sciences / Principal Investigator at CERI

Ian

Ian is a paediatric ophthalmologist who has been involved in myopia research for over 25 years, principally in the areas of computational modelling, the optical control mechanisms of eye growth and the public health implications of myopia. He was awarded the Fincham Medal in 2001 by Worshipful Company of Spectacle makers for his work in this field. In addition to his clinical and research activities, he has extensive commercial and intellectual property experience, having founded two software companies and holds numerous patents.

Prof. Ian Flitcroft, PhD

Consultant Ophthalmologist, Mater Hospital / Adjunct Professor of Vision Science, TU Dublin / Principal Investigator at CERI

Eoin

Eoin joined CERI as a Research Officer in September 2021. Having previously completed a BSc and MSc in Sport Science in Loughborough University in the UK, he qualified as an Optometrist in DIT (Kevin St). He worked in private practice for a number of years, before joining CERI where he is involved in clinical research across a range of studies.

Eoin Kerin, MSc

Research Officer

Kate

Kate is an Arnold Graves Postdoctoral Research Scientist at CERI. Kate is our clinical trial coordinator with responsibility for overseeing the conduct of our portfolio of clinical trials. Her own research interests relate to neuroscience research, myopia control, technology development and commercialisation.

Dr. Kate Loskutova, MD, PhD

Associate Research Fellow

Gareth

Gareth is an orthoptist and Arnold Grave Postdoctoral Research Fellow at CERI. Gareth is involved in the MOSAIC and TOAST trials investigating the impact of low-dose atropine eye drops. Gareth has a background in ophthalmic epidemiology and is interested in the prevention and treatment of eye conditions.

Dr. Gareth Lingham, PhD

Associate Research Fellow

Michael

Michael is an Optometry lecturer at TU Dublin and a postgraduate research student at CERI. Michael is interested in big data analytics, and particularly the application of big data analysis to electronic health record data.

Michael Moore

PhD Researcher / Optometrist / TU Dublin lecturer

Aksha

Aksha joined CERI as a Research officer in April 2024. She has completed her masters in optometry from Lotus College of Optometry, Mumbai, and is a PhD scholar at BITS-Pilani, Goa. She worked as a lecturer for a few years before joining CERI. Her personal research interest is in myopia control and public health.

Aksha Shetty

Research Officer

Rían

Rían joined CERI in June 2024 following completion of his Optometry degree in TU Dublin. Working in the optical industry for almost two decades, he first qualified as an ophthalmic technician in 2009 and then gained his first degree in ophthalmic dispensing in 2014. Rían previously worked as a quality and technical director for an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory and combines this experience and his qualifications in his research role with CERI . He has a keen interest in paediatric eyecare and environmental ocular health.

Rían Love

Research Officer

Pam

Pam is the Assistant Staff Officer at CERI. She supports the conduct of trials, communication, general trial logistics as well as offering support to all involved in our trials here at CERI. She is the friendly face most will meet when they arrive at research hub for their appointments and she looks forward to welcoming and supporting everyone taking part in our trials.

Pam Scully

Assistant Staff Officer

Ernest

Ernest is a postgraduate research student at CERI. His research interest focuses on myopia control, and his PhD is focused on the “biometric analysis of myopia development and progression." Ernest holds a Doctor of Optometry degree from Ghana. He is a study investigator for the Stellest Lens Observational Multicentre European Study (SLOMES), which aims to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, acceptability, and quality of life implications of Essilor® Stellest® spectacle lenses in slowing myopia progression in children and adolescents, and the Ocumension trial, which aims to study the safety and efficacy of low-dose atropine (0.01%) eye drops in slowing myopia progression in children.

Ernest Kyei Nkansah

PhD Researcher

Ella

Emmanuella is a postgraduate research student at CERI. Her research interests span various areas of vision science, including nutrition for eye health, retinal imaging and cognition. She is the study investigator on the ongoing interdisciplinary study “Investigating Cognition and Ocular Nutrition in Children (ICONIC)” trial which is designed to examine the ocular and cognitive impact of carotenoid supplementation in children. She is also involved in the conduct of the other clinical trials in CERI.

Emmanuella (Ella) Esi Dadzie, OD

PhD Researcher

Joy

Joy is a TU Dublin funded PhD research student working with CERI in affiliation with the facility for optical characterisation and spectroscopy (FOCAS). She is investigating ways of routinely screening macular pigment carotenoids and other lipid peroxidation compounds using spectroscopic serology.

Joy Udensi

PhD Researcher

Clement

Clement is a TU Dublin funded PhD student working on a multi-disciplinary research project with CERI. His research focuses on developing predictive models using artificial intelligence algorithms to detect structural complications associated with myopia which can lead to loss of vision in later life. His aim is to use electronic health record data (age, gender, refraction, axial length, visual acuity) and routinely acquired retinal scans (colour fundus images and OCT) to extract useful features to aid in the detection and predictions of pathological myopia complications. This research will help early identification of eyes at the greatest risk of the structural complications of myopia and visual loss. Clinicians will be able to identify patients who stand to benefit most from interventions that can slow myopia progression.

Clement Kang’ombe

PhD Researcher

Megan

Megan is an optometrist and TU Dublin funded PhD research student working with CERI. She is investigating how childhood lifestyle affects eye growth and refraction through the Child Eye Health Study (CEHS).

Megan Doyle

PhD Researcher

Dominyka

Dominyka is a postgraduate research student at CERI. Her research interest focuses on connection between structural myopic changes of the eye and visual impairment risks later in life. Dominyka holds a Medical doctor degree (MD) and is also a board certified ophthalmologist, therefore her interests include prevention and treatment of eye diseases.

Dominyka Borisovaitė

PhD Researcher