Harvard Medical School’s Department of Ophthalmology has invited a Wayne State University School of Medicine principal investigator to share his expertise with its cornea fellows and ophthalmology faculty as a visiting professor to lecture for a full day in 2021.

Susmit Suvas, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Wayne State University Department of Ophthalmology, Vision and Anatomical Sciences. He will lecture virtually (unless travel restrictions are lifted) Feb. 18 as part of the HMS Cornea Center of Excellence Visiting Professor Lecture Series.

The series draws distinguished faculty working on corneal research from across the country. Cornea fellows present interesting cases within the visiting professor’s area of expertise, with live patient examinations. Later, the visiting professor presents a lecture. Dr. Suvas was tapped by HMS because of his lab’s latest research on the role of oxidative stress in herpes stromal keratitis, or HSK, lesions.

Dr. Suvas also spoke at Harvard’s Biennial Cornea Conference in 2017.

HSK is a chronic inflammatory condition that develops in response to recurrent corneal herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection.

“This can cause corneal opacity and the formation of blood vessels in infected cornea. Our lab research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate opacity and blood vessel formation in the infected cornea so that novel therapeutic approaches can be developed to resolve inflammation and restore clarity in the corneal tissue,” he said.

Dr. Suvas is also graduate officer of the Anatomy and Cell Biology Graduate Program.

Harvard’s cornea program includes 40 faculty members and more than 50 physicians and Ph.D.s engaged in cornea research between Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Schepens Eye Research Institute, and other HMS-affiliates.