Shintaro Shirahama, MD, PhD
Schepens Eye Research Institute
Harvard Medical School
PROJECT TITLE: Development of a novel transplant-independent therapy for retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) dysfunction using epigenetic reprogramming of RPE stem cells
Dr. Shirahama has a strong background in ocular inflammatory diseases, including infectious and non-infectious uveitis. After graduating from medical school in Japan, Dr. Shirahama joined the ophthalmology department at the University of Tokyo in 2013. He continued his training as a clinical ophthalmologist at the University of Tokyo Hospital and has been primarily engaged in the outpatient and inpatient treatment of patients with ocular inflammatory disorders, including uveitis. Shirahama published 10 scientific papers from his clinical research in Japan, 6 of which as first author.
After receiving a PhD in 2021, Shirahama joined Dr. Bruce R. Ksander’s lab at the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, where he focuses on restoring the function of aging retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and/or aging ABCB5 (a known marker of stem cells). His aim is to develop a novel transplant-independent therapy for RPE dysfunction.