Centers of Excellence/Institutes 

• AMD Center of Excellence
• Diabetic Eye Disease Center of Excellence
• Glaucoma Center of Excellence
• Ocular Genomics Institute
• Ocular Oncology Center of Excellence
• Ocular Regenerative Medicine Institute

Research Programs/Laboratories 

• Ines and Frederick Yeatts Retina Research Laboratory
• Harvard Retinal Imaging Laboratory 
• JW Miller AMD Research Group
• Harvard Retinal Metabolomics Program
• Laser Research Laboratory

Biography

Dr. Miller is Chair of Harvard Ophthalmology, Chair of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear and Mass General Hospital, and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She also co-directs the Ines and Frederick Yeatts Retina Research Laboratory, Laser Research Laboratory, and Retina Research Institute at Mass Eye and Ear. 

Dr. Miller’s clinical and research interests focus on retinal disorders, including age related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic eye disease, and macular telangiectasia (MacTel). She and her colleagues at Mass Eye and Ear pioneered the development of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using verteporfin (Visudyne®), the first pharmacologic therapy for AMD. Dr. Miller also identified the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in ocular neovascularization, forming the scientific basis of current antiangiogenic therapies for intraocular vascular diseases (including neovascular AMD and diabetic eye disease). Dr. Miller continues investigations to elucidate the pathophysiology of vision loss and improve therapies for retinal diseases.

Education

1980: SB, Life Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

1981–1985: MD, cum laude, Harvard Medical School

Postgraduate Training

1985–1986: Internship, Medicine, Newton-Wellesley Hospital

1986–1989: Residency, Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

1989–1991: Fellowship, Vitreoretinal Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

1989–1991: Research Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Professional Memberships (select)

1984–present: Massachusetts Medical Society   

1987–present: American Medical Association

1989–present: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) (2013–2016: Member, ARVO Foundation Board of Governors)

1991–present: American Board of Ophthalmology    

1992–present: American Academy of Ophthalmology (2002–2005: Retina Panel, Preferred Practice Patterns)

1992–present: American Association for the Advancement of Science

1993–present: Research to Prevent Blindness 

1994–present: New England Ophthalmological Society (2013–2014: President)

1995–present: Retina Society

1995–present: Macula Society (2016–present: Treasurer) 

1998–present: Club Jules Gonin

2002–present: Alcon Research Institute

2007–present: Women in Retina

2007–present: Women in Ophthalmology (2007–present: Nominating Committee)

2008–present: American Ophthalmological Society

2009–present: Women in Eye and Vision Research (2009–present: Leadership Committee)

2012–present: Heed Ophthalmic Foundation (2012–present: Board of Directors)

2013–present: Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis, Chair LXVIII

2015–present: National Academy of Medicine

2017-present: Dowling Society

Honors (select)

1999: Rosenthal Award, Macula Society

2002: Retina Research Award, Club Jules Gonin

2006: ARVO/Pfizer Award

2009: J. Donald Gass Medal, Macula Society

2010: Joseph B. Martin Dean’s Leadership Award for the Advancement of Women Faculty, Harvard Medical School

2011: Paul Henkind Memorial Award, Macula Society

2012: Edward Jackson Memorial Lectureship, American Academy of Ophthalmology 

2000: "Best of What's New" Award (Visudyne), Popular Science

2000: "Top Products of 2000" Award (Visudyne), Business Week

2012: Pinnacle Award for Achievement in the Professions, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

2012: Boston's Best Doctors, Boston Magazine

2013: Honoree, ARVO Foundation for Eye Research

2014: António Champalimaud Vision Award

2015: Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology

2018: Lucien Howe Medal, American Ophthalmological Society

2018: Gertrude D. Pyron Award, American Society for Retinal Specialists and Retina Research Foundation

2018: Charles L. Schepens, MD, Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Retina Research Foundation, and Schepens International Society

Editorial Roles (select)

2005–2013: Editorial Board, JAMA Ophthalmology (formerly Archives of Ophthalmology)

2013-present: Editorial Board, Ophthalmology

2016–present: Editorial Board, Ophthalmology Retina

2017–present: Advisory Board (Editorial Team), Sensory Systems Research, EBioMedicine

Teaching (select)

2005: Co-Director, Residents Course (biennial), Harvard Medical School

2010: Co-Director, Department of Ophthalmology Biennial Symposium on Age-Related Macular Degeneration (biennial), Harvard Medical School

2012–2012: Program Co-Director, Retina Subspecialty Day, American Academy of Ophthalmology (In conjunction with the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Macula Society, the Retina Society, and Club Jules Gonin)

2017: Course Director, Heidelberg Engineering 15th Annual International Spectralis Symposium

Other Professional Roles/Advisory Boards

2011–2015: Alcon Research Council

2012–present: Consultant, KalVista Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.

2013–2014: Consultant, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

2013–2014: Consultant, ISIS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

2013–2014: Consultant, Imagen Biotech, Inc.

2013–present: Scientific Advisory Board, ONL Therapeutics, LLC

2013–2015: Scientific Advisory Board, MacuLogix, Inc.

2014: Consultant, Biogen, Inc.

2014–present: Board Member, National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) / Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR)

2014–2016: Consultant, Amgen, Inc.

2017–2018: Consultant, Genentech, Inc./Roche

2018: PDT Advisory Board, Bausch+Lomb

Patents

Miller JW, Young LHY, Gragoudas ES, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Angiographic method using green porphyrins in primate eyes. United States Patent US 5,707,986. January 13, 1998.

Levy J, Miller JW, Gragoudas ES, Hasan T, Schmidt-Erfurth U, inventors; The General Hospital Corporation, Quadra Logic Technologies, Inc., Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignees. Use of green porphyrins to treat neovasculature in the eye. United States Patent US 5,798,349. August 25, 1998.

Miller JW, Gragoudas ES, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Use of green porphyrins to treat neovasculature in the eye. United States Patent US 6,225,303. May 1, 2001.

Miller JW, Gragoudas ES, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Use of green porphyrins to treat neovasculature in the eye. United States Patent US 6,610,679. August 26, 2003.

Miller JW, Gragoudas ES, Renno RZ, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Methods and compositions for treating conditions of the eye. United States Patent US 7,125,542. October 24, 2006.

Iliaki E, Adamis AP, Miller JW, Gragoudas ES, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Treatment of ocular disorders. United States Patent US 7,419,666. September 2, 2008.

Adamis AP, Miller JW, Gragoudas ES, Mescher MJ, Dube CE, Borenstein JT, Weinstein MG, Miller RA, Hansberry ML; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., assignees. Implantable Drug Delivery Device and Use Thereof. United States Patent US 7,563,255. July 21, 2009.

Gragoudas ES, Poulaki V, Miller JW, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Methods and compositions for treating conditions of the eye. United States Patent US 7,803,375.

Zacks D, Miller JW, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Methods for preserving the viability of photoreceptor cells by anti-FAS-ligand/anti-FAS-receptor antibodies. United States Patent US 7,811,832. October 12, 2010.

Poulaki V, Miller JW, Gragoudas ES, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Methods and compositions for treating conditions of the eye. United States Patent US 8,658,633. January 4, 2014.

Iliaki I, Adamis A, Miller JW, Gragoudas ES, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, assignee. Treatment of ocular disorders. United States Patent US 8,987,219. March 24, 2015.

Vavvas D, Trichonas G, Miller J, Murakami Y, inventors; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, owner. Methods and compositions for preserving photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelial cells. United States Patent US 9,492,432. November 15, 2016.

Characterization and Treatment of Early and Intermediate AMD

Dr. Miller aims to address the significant unmet need for improving phenotyping and treatments for early and intermediate AMD. Studies with Dr. Deeba Husain are designed to identify biomarkers capable of distinguishing subjects with AMD. Together with Dr. John B. Miller, Dr. Miller is investigating novel imaging techniques for detailed visualization of retinal structure, as this may be a relevant early marker for disease onset and allow for improved monitoring of disease progression. Dr. Miller also collaborates with Dr. Demetrios Vavvas to study statins as a possible treatment for early/intermediate AMD.

Neuroprotective Therapies for Retinal Disease

Dr. Miller studies the mechanisms of photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell death with the goal of developing new strategies for preserving vision. Together with Dr. Demetrios Vavvas, Dr. Miller aims to elucidate the mechanisms of photoreceptor cell death and to identify potential therapeutic targets through genetic, molecular, and cellular studies

Structure-function correlation and imaging

Dr. Miller is working with Dr. Deeba Husain and Dr. John B. Miller to examine new testing methods combining retinal structure and visual function to better detect early visual defects

The MacTel Project

Dr. Miller is an investigator in a collaborative research effort to identify the causes and appropriate treatments for this idiopathic condition. Mass Eye and Ear served as a site for the Phase II ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) trial for MacTel with Dr. Miller as an Investigator.