Sophie Deng Laboratory
Cornea
Sophie X. Deng, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor
Walton Li Chair in Cornea and Uveitis
Co-Chief, Cornea Division
Vice Chair for Inspiring Excellence
Department of Ophthalmology
Jules Stein Eye Institute
The Cornea Biology Laboratory, under Dr. Deng's direction, studies the limbal epithelial stem cells (LSCs) and their microenvironment to elucidate the mechanisms by which these cells and the niche factors aid in the regeneration of the corneal surface in patients suffering from limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD). The role of signaling pathways such as Wnt and Notch in the regulation of LSCs and modulation of these signaling pathways in vitro and in vivo through small molecules is under investigation.
Two clinical studies aimed to characterize the cellular changes in the cornea and limbus leading to LSCD and to study the safety and efficacy of LSC transplantation are ongoing. The first study aims to evaluate and validate in vivo parameters using multimodal imaging such as anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) to diagnose and stage LSCD and to assess LSCD treatment outcome. The second clinical study is a Phase I clinical trial to assess the safety, feasibility and efficacy of autologous cultivated LSC therapy in patients suffering from severe or total LSCD (more info here).
Another research project focused on the stromal cell layer of the cornea aims to treat corneal stromal scars with extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from corneal stromal stem cells (CSSCs), which are multipotent mesenchymal stem cells that regenerate normal corneal stroma and significantly reduce corneal scarring by mediating anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis processes. The specific content (cargo) of the EVs and mechanism of action is also under investigation. Pre-clinical research is ongoing to develop an EV-based therapy that could be directly applied to the eye to reduce corneal stromal scarring and improve vision.
Recent Publications
Limbal Epithelial Cells Detected in Stage III Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency by Multimodal Anterior Segment Imaging
CLEMENCE BONNET, MEHRNOOSH MAALHAGHFARD, SOPHIE X. DENG
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY (2026)
View PublicationMicrobiology Profiles and Antibiotic Susceptibility in Pediatric Microbial Keratitis
Melodyanne Y. Cheng, Piseth Dalin Chea, Golshan Latifi, Omai B. Garner, Sophie X. Deng, Simon S. M. Fung
CORNEA (2025)
View PublicationVisible Light OCT for Evaluating Palisades of Vogt
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE (2025)
Presence of limbal epithelial cells in eyes with clinical Stage III limbal stem cell deficiency
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE (2025)
Epithelial Layer Segmentation of Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography in Eyes with Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE (2025)
Automated Segmentation of Central Corneal Basal Cells from In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Imaging
INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE (2025)
Comparison of Automated and Manual Measurement of Corneal Epithelial Thickness in Eyes With Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency
Thanachaporn Kittipibul, Rutuja Unhale, Clemence Bonnet, Chi-Hong Tseng, Sophie X. Deng
CORNEA (2025)
View PublicationOn the Feasibility of SERS-Based Monitoring of Drug Loading Efficiency in Exosomes for Targeted Delivery
Jun Liu, Siddharth Srivastava, Tieyi Li, Faycal Moujane, John Y. Lee, Yiqing Chen, Huinan Liu, Sophie X. Deng, Ya-Hong Xie
BIOSENSORS-BASEL (2025)
View PublicationCorneal Stromal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Attenuate ANGPTL7 Expression in the Human Trabecular Meshwork
Faycal Moujane, Chi Zhang, Robert Knight, John Y. Lee, Sophie X. Deng, Jie J. Zheng
TRANSLATIONAL VISION SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (2025)
View PublicationPredictors of Post-treatment Visual Improvement After Bacterial Keratitis Infection at a Referral Center in Southern California
Onyinye Onyia, Elise L. Ma, Kishan Gupta, Omai B. Garner, Sophie X. Deng, Simon S. M. Fung
Cornea (2025)
View Publication