Haile Fentahun Darge, MSc, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Phone: (519) 888-4567
Email: hdarge@uwaterloo.ca
Haile received his MSc in Medicinal Physiology from Addis Ababa University, School of Medicine in 2014. He joined Prof. Hsieh-Chih Tsai’s lab at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech) in 2017 and completed his PhD in 2020. After graduation, he continued his postdoctoral research work in Prof. Hsieh-Chih Tsai’s lab until 2022. His research work focused on the preparation of polymeric biomaterials (injectable smart hydrogels and nanocarriers, microspheres and microneedles) for controlled drug delivery in cancer treatment, wound dressing, and for 3D cell culturing. He has authored 28+ peer-reviewed research articles in the area of drug delivery for cancer treatment. Currently, he is a postdoctoral research fellow at CORE and his research work is focusing on developing biomaterials for ocular drug delivery and in vitro eye models using 3D printing technology.
Elizabeth Drolle, PhD, BSc
Senior Research Associate
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 37009
Email: edrolle@uwaterloo.ca
Liz completed her PhD in nanoscale lipid biophysics, investigating the effect of the lipid membrane on amyloid fibril formation and toxicity in relation to Alzheimer’s disease. She joined CORE in 2015 as a post-doctoral fellow and is currently a Research Scientist. Her main research interests include biophysics and surface chemistry investigations into meibomian gland dysfunction and the tear film, as well as how advances in nanotechnology can be utilized for ocular research.
Daddi Fadel, DOptom, FSLS, FBCLA, FAAO, FIACLE
Clinical Scientist
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 43158
Email: daddi.fadel@uwaterloo.ca
Daddi completed her studies in optometry at Istituto Superiore di Scienze Optometriche (ISSO) in Rome (1998-2001), a four-year course achieved in three years with honours. She started to lecture and publish in her first year of Optometry school and has more than 25 years of experience in optometry, specialty contact lenses, and novel technology. Daddi is a pioneer of modern lens designs and is internationally recognized as a key opinion leader who lectures and publishes extensively in 5 languages on dry eye, scleral lenses, myopia control, ortho-k lenses, and novel technology. She serves on the board and is founder of several international associations related to contact lenses. Daddi is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Contact Lens Research & Science (JCLRS).
Sarah Guthrie, MSc, PhD
Data, Statistics & Website Manager
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 48438
Email: sarah.guthrie@uwaterloo.ca
Sarah has a PhD in physics with a specialization in biophysics. She has worked at CORE since 2006 and is involved in a broad range of CORE’s work. In addition to the data management, analysis and reporting of many of CORE’s clinical research projects, she conducts survey-based research, including practitioner and/or patient focused surveys; lab-based projects including myopia control animal models, metrology, lubricity and fluid dynamics; and multiple website projects. She also has a graduate level certification as a clinical research associate and is responsible for many aspects of CORE’s regulatory compliance.
Brandon Ho, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 37009
Email: brandon.ho@uwaterloo.ca
Brandon completed his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto in 2022. His project involved using high-throughput microscopy, yeast and molecular cell biology, and computational analyses to understand how proteins inside cells respond to DNA replication stress. His research interests now primarily focus on integrating these techniques into the development of novel methodologies for ocular drug delivery and screening using in vitro eye models and high-throughput assays.
Debbie Jones, BSc, FCOptom, FAAO, FBCLA
Lead Clinical Scientist
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 45934
Email: debbie.jones@uwaterloo.ca
Debbie is a clinical professor at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Canada. She graduated from City University, London, UK and is a Fellow of the British College of Optometrists holds a UK Diplomate in Contact Lens Practice and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and the British Contact Lens Association.
Doerte Luensmann, PhD, Dipl. Ing. (AO), FAAO
Senior Clinical Scientist
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 47312
Email: doerte.luensmann@uwaterloo.ca
Doerte studied Ophthalmic Optics at the University of Applied Sciences in Aalen, Germany and completed her diploma thesis at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia, under the supervision of Dr. Michael Collins. She then worked for four years in practice before entering the PhD program at the University of Waterloo, under the supervision of Dr. Lyndon Jones. In her research, she studied the protein deposition profile on contact lenses and IOLs using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Doerte was a postdoctoral fellow at CORE for one year and stayed on as a clinical scientist.
Amir M. Moezzi, PhD, MSc, BOptom, FAAO
Lead Clinical Scientist
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 35021
Email: ammoezzi@uwaterloo.ca
After obtaining a BSc in optometry from Iran in 1988, Amir practised optometry, and worked as an instructor in the ophthalmic optics labs and binocular vision courses in Iran. He went on to work in the field of ophthalmic lens processing, and joined CORE as a graduate student in 1999, under the supervision of Desmond Fonn, investigating corneal swelling induced by contact lenses. Amir rejoined the CORE team as a clinical scientist in 2003.
Christiane Lourenco Nogueira, PhD
Research Scientist – Microbiology
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 37009
Email: c3lourenconogueira@uwaterloo.ca
Chris is originally from Brazil and did her BSc and MSc in Pharmacy and PhD in Microbiology/Biotechnology. A substantial period of her scientific experience involves microbiology research including bacteriology, molecular epidemiology, taxonomy and diagnosis of infectious diseases. She also worked on the identification of the infection source(s) of a cluster of cases of keratitis after LASIK surgery. In 2020, she did a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Marc Aucoin, studying the ability of contact lens solutions to kill various coronavirus strains, as well as their binding to CL materials. This project was in collaboration with Drs. Lyndon Jones and William Ngo.
Her work at CORE is focused on microbiology and cell culture research, as well as coronavirus and adenovirus research.
Alison Ng, PhD, BSc (Hons), MCOptom, FAAO
Lead Clinical Scientist
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 42694
Email: alison.ng@uwaterloo.ca
Alison joined CORE as a post-doctoral fellow in 2014 and is now a Lead Clinical Scientist. She qualified as an optometrist in the UK in 2007 and after a successful period in private practice, completed a PhD at Cardiff University focusing on the effects of eye cosmetics on the ocular surface and tear film. Alison’s research interests include the ocular surface response to environmental factors, contact lenses, cosmetics, dry eye disease, nutrition, and corneal neuropathic pain. As well as leading on complex research projects Alison serves as a TFOS Global Ambassador for Canada, exemplifying her commitment to advancing eye health on an international level and contributing to high-profile research output. Alison is also involved in Cochrane systematic review projects and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.
Chau-Minh Phan, MSc, PhD, FAAO
Research Assistant Professor
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 37009
Email: c2phan@uwaterloo.ca
Chau-Minh Phan gained his PhD in Vision Science from the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Waterloo in 2016. He won the 3-minute thesis competition in 2013 at The University of Waterloo in its inaugural year. After his PhD, he co-founded two start-up companies, Tricolops Technology and OcuBlink Inc. He is currently a research assistant professor at the Centre for Ocular Research and Education, working to commercialize new ophthalmic technologies. His research interests primarily focus on developing biomaterials for ocular drug delivery, in vitro eye models, and 3D-printing. He has authored over 30 peer-reviewed papers in the field of contact lenses.
Marc Schulze, PhD, Dipl. Ing. (AO), FAAO
Senior Clinical Scientist
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 45020
Email: marc.schulze@uwaterloo.ca
Dr Marc-Matthias (Marc) Schulze is a graduate of the University of Applied Sciences in Aalen, Germany (2000, Diploma in Ophthalmic Optics) and of the School of Optometry, University of Waterloo, ON, Canada (2010; PhD in Vision Science), where his PhD project focused on anterior segment grading scales. He currently is a senior clinical scientist at CORE, and is responsible for conducting a variety of clinical studies in the fields of contact lenses, anterior segment and dry eye disease. He enjoys the combination of direct participant contact and research study management his role at CORE offers. His main research interests include clinical grading and ocular imaging.
Parvin Shokrollahi, PhD, MSc, BSc
Research Associate
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 37009
Email: pshokrol@uwaterloo.ca
Parvin completed her PhD in Polymer Chemistry in 2009, University of Cambridge, UK. Her PhD research, under the supervision of Professor Wilhelm Huck, focused on creating supramolecular composite biomaterials for (hard) tissue engineering. After Graduation, she joined Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute (IPPI, Iran), where she worked on design of supramolecular polymers, composites, and hydrogels for tissue engineering applications. She has also worked on silicone hydrogel contact lens formulations and HA realizing biodegradable contact lenses. Parvin joined the CORE team as a research associate in December 2022.
Ulli Stahl, PhD, Dipl. Ing. (AO)
Regulatory Team Leader
Senior Clinical Scientist
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 43478
Email: ustahl@uwaterloo.ca
Ulli graduated from the optometry program at the University of Applied Sciences, Berlin, Germany, and completed her PhD under the supervision of Profs Fiona Stapleton and Mark Willcox at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia in 2009. Her research explored tear film and contact lens osmolality changes during lens wear and their influence on ocular comfort. After her PhD, Ulli was appointed at the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences in Sydney as a Dispensing Instructor and Project Officer, working in the areas of contact lens, dry eye and glaucoma research. In 2011, she moved to Canada to join the CORE team as a post-doctoral fellow. Ulli’s research interest include the tear film and ocular surface changes during contact lens wear and their role in ocular discomfort, dry eye and questionnaire development.
Stephanie Wong, PhD, BSc(Hons), BA, MCOptom
Clinical Scientist
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 41001
Email: s99wong@uwaterloo.ca
Stephanie completed a BA in Biology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2000. She also received an Optometry degree from City University, UK, in 2004 and qualified in 2005. She has worked as a hospital optometrist, in private practice and as the clinic manager at an independent research company. She completed a PhD at the University of Waterloo in 2022 under the supervision of Drs. Lyndon Jones and Paul Murphy. Her research investigated tear evaporation in contact lens wearers and dry eye sufferers. She is currently a clinical scientist.
David Wulff, PhD
Research Associate
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext. 37009
Email: dwulff@uwaterloo.ca
David completed his BASc in Chemical Engineering in 2015 and his PhD in Chemical Engineering (Nanotechnology) in 2020, both from the University of Waterloo. His PhD research, under the supervision of Drs. Frank Gu and Marc Aucoin, focused on creating starch-based microparticles for drug delivery. Throughout his undergrad and grad studies, he has also worked on developing a nanoparticle-based, ocular drug-delivery system and on evaluating the effect of shear stress on the ocular surface, as side projects. He joined the CORE team in 2020, working with Drs. Lyndon Jones and Chau-Minh Phan.