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Andrew Huang

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Andrew Huang

Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1939-9149

    Willing to Mentor

    Available to Mentor:

    PhD Students

    • 5612
      Citations
    1982 …2026

    Research activity per year

    Personal profile

    Research interests

    Ex vivo expansion of corneolimbal stem cells for ocular surface reconstruction

    Corneal epithelial stem cells reside in limbus, a special structure located at the corneoscleral junction. Extensive ocular surface trauma or inflammation can often lead to loss of limbal stem cells, known as limbal deficiency. The hallmarks of limbal stem cell deficiency are conjunctival invasion of corneal surface, poor epithelial wound healing, corneal neovascularization and inflammation. The autologous or allogenic limbal stem cells can be cultivated and expanded in special tissue culture with various matrix carries including amniotic membrane. The expanded source may provide a viable corneal stem cell source for ocular surface rehabilitation.

    Molecular genetics of corneal dystrophies

    Corneal epithelial/stromal dystrophies are a group of inherited corneal conditions characterized by abnormal protein aggregations with resultant corneal opacities and recurrent epithelial breakdowns. Mutations of keratoepithelin (KE), an extracellular matrix protein also known as TGFBI or BGH3 have been identified in the affected families. KE mutations can cause either amyloid formations (such as in various types of corneal lattice dystrophy) or amorphous aggregates (such as in corneal granular dystrophy or Avellino dystrophy). The molecular basis dictating the clinical phenotype has been unclear. The KE gene is located in human chromosome 5q31 and regulated by TGF-b (transforming growth factor- beta). This lab has previously identified the KE gene promoter. However, the activating mechanism of KE gene promoter has not been delineated. Studies on the regulation of gene promoter and related KE protein expression may reveal the pathogenesis of various corneal epithelial/stromal dystrophies and facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for related corneal pathology.

    Molecular therapy for corneal dystrophies and hereditary glaucoma

    RNA interference has been identified as a powerful tool for gene silencing. It can also be used to suppress expression of untoward genes of inherited conditions. We have developed several siRNAs (small interfering RNA containing short double-stranded RNAs) as a molecular silencer to knock down gene expression of KE and myocilin (a protein purportedly responsible for certain types of hereditary open-angle glaucoma), respectively. Using appropriate siRNA molecules, RNAi can selectively suppress the expression of KE and myocilin protein in vitro, respectively. Anterior segment of the eye is readily accessible for topical delivery of therapeutics to the target tissues such as cornea or trabecular meshwork. We are investigating the feasibility of delivering siRNAs to anterior segment as a new potential therapeutic strategy for inherited ocular conditions such as corneal dystrophies and glaucoma.

    Clinical interests

    Cornea and external disease, ocular surface disorders,

    Available to Mentor:

    • PhD Students

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    • Bayesian Analysis of Valacyclovir Treatment Effect in the Zoster Eye Disease Study

      Jeng, B. H., Lee, T. F., Troxel, A. B., Lu, Y., Cohen, E. J., Kim, J., Hochman, J. S., Weissbart, S. B., Abazari, A., Chou, T. Y., Chang, E., Amescua, G., Tonk, R., Koo, E., Martinez, J. D., Galor, A., Patel, S. V., Berestka, J. S., Nanji, A. A. & Chamberlain, W. & 242 others, Stutzman, R., Clements, J., Chodosh, J., Davies, E. C., Saeed, H., Ciralsky, J. B., Alzaga Fernandez, A. G., Sippel, K. C., Perez-Quinones, V. L., Daluvoy, M., Liu, K., Ewald, M. D., Groos, E. B., Chang, B., Shivitz, I. A., Hill, J., Fowler, P. G., Read, R. W., Geggel, H. S., Omar, A., Rony, S., Rapuano, C. J., Meghpara, B., Syed, Z., Holland, G. N., Lee, O., Irvine, J., Deng, S. X., Aldave, A., Edmund, T., Chen, J., Honig, M. A., Snyder, L. A., Huang, A. J. W., Margolis, T. P., Lubniewski, A., Katz, D. G., Capoor, S., Gonzales, J., Seitzman, G., Keenan, J., Morkin, M., Kenyon, K. R., Hamrah, P., Lee, W. B., Christenbury, J. G., LaMattina, K. C., Lee, H., Negahban, K., Rao, R., Ament, C. S., Lopatynsky, M. O., Barbato, J. D., Sarkar, J. S., Macsai, M., Herz, J. B., Weikert, M. P., Al-Mohtaseb, Z., Matoba, A. Y., Cooney, T., Hood, C., Woodward, M., Sugar, A., Shtein, R. M., Nehls, S. M., Warner, E. J., Nettune, G., Bowman, B., Gelender, H., Alexander, J. K., McCall, T., Zaffos, J., Beebe, W., Potts, L. B., Lustbader, J., Oboh-Weilke, A. M., Hammersmith, K. M., Orlin, S. E., Nagra, P., Sulewski, M., Bunya, V., Shafer, B., Prescott, C. R., Haberman, I., Viriya, E., Qureshi, A., Lazzaro, D., Palazzolo, L., Goyal, H., Schrack, K. E., Raber, I. M., Ayres, B., Finklea, B., Reeves, S., Awad, O. E., Hardten, D. R., Reilly, C. D., Flynn, W. J., Rashid, E. D., Wen, A. E., Ritterband, D. C., Harris, D. J., Ahmad, S., Shaik, N., Seedor, J. A., Rosenfeld, S. I., Winnick, M., Amir, A., Sherman, M. D., Srikumaran, D., Akpek, E., Chaon, B., Soukiasian, S. H., Rao, N. K., Steiner, A. S., Winokur, J., Udell, I., Shih, C., Gorski, M., Schrier, A., Lobo-Chan, A. M., Sugar, J., Tu, E., Munir, W. W., Sunshine, S., Miller, D. M., Gensheimer, W. G., Zegans, M. E., Weiss, J. S., Bernal, M., Barron, B., Hindman, H. B., Wise, R., Gelston, C., Taravella, M. J., Davidson, R. S., Tran, U. L., Shieh, C., Bartley, J., McCulley, J., Verity, S., Bowman, W., Blomquist, P., Mootha, V. V., Thorne, G., Renucci, A. M., Verdier, D., Sivaraman, K., Nordlund, M., Hwang, F. S., Affeldt, J., Ingraham, H., Guibord, N. M., Dobbins, K. R. B., Thareja, T., Lin, A., Zaugg, B., Mifflin, M., Forstot, S. L., Fish, R. A., Repine, K., Wildes, M., Estopinal, C. B., Brown, D., Koreishi, A., Ple-Plakon, P., Clemons, C. S., Patel, R., Asbell, P. A., Ashe, S. A., Bonaffini, S., Houser, K., Wallace, M., Wesberry, J. M., Iovieno, A., Yeung, S. N., Teichman, J. C., Noordeh, N., Faucher, A., Robert, M. C., Harissi-Dagher, M., Rullo, J., Baxter, S., Johnson, D., Mah, D., Benson, M., Tone, S. O., Chew, H., Hassonlou, M., Liu, S., Eikenberry, J. L., Yung, C. W., Shen, J. F., Lin, C., Yu, C., Ta, C., Goins, K. R., Sutphin, J., Svanda, K., Keppol, S., Rostov, A., Vyas, N. M., Hsu, K., Goodman, G., McHam, L., Oates, D., Rizkalla, R., Shukla, A., Veena, M., See, C., Goshe, J., Feder, R. S., Baqai, J., Basti, S., Haddadin, R., You, J. Y., Dixit, L. A., Patel, R. H., Golde, K. T., Zaidman, G. W., Mahesh, S., Sharma, V., Wesolosky, J., Miller, D. D., Ma, J. H., Mannis, M., Meyer, J. J., Niederer, R., Colby, K. A., McLeod, S., Melia, M., Sugar, E., Taylor, C. R., Nagel, M., Dupps, W. J., Lass, J. H., Bajart, A., Farooq, A., Hofmeister, E., Kaufman, A., Rhee, M. & Yoo, J., Jan 2026, In: Ophthalmology. 133, 1, p. 151-153 3 p.

      Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

      Open Access

    • In vivo calcium imaging of corneal sensory nerves with fluorescent stereoscopic microscopy

      Hoekel, G. E., Guo, C. J., Olugbenro, T., Liu, Q. & Huang, A. J. W., Jan 2026, In: Ocular Surface. 39, p. 66-68 3 p.

      Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

      Open Access

    • Low-Dose Valacyclovir for Postherpetic Neuralgia in the Zoster Eye Disease Study: A Randomized Clinical Trial

      ZEDS Trial Research Group, Apr 17 2025, In: JAMA Ophthalmology. 143, 4, p. 277-285 9 p.

      Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

      Open Access
      7   Link opens in a new tab Scopus citations

    • Low-Dose Valacyclovir in Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus: The Zoster Eye Disease Randomized Clinical Trial

      ZEDS Trial Research Group, Apr 17 2025, In: JAMA Ophthalmology. 143, 4, p. 269-276 8 p.

      Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

      Open Access
      9   Link opens in a new tab Scopus citations

    • Stem Cell-Derived Corneal Epithelium: Engineering Barrier Function for Ocular Surface Repair

      Fresenko, E. E., Ma, J. X., Giegengack, M., Thompson, A. C., Atala, A., Huang, A. J. W. & Zhang, Y., Aug 2025, In: International journal of molecular sciences. 26, 15, 7501.

      Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

      Open Access
    View all 124 Research outputs