Center/Research Area Affiliations

• Glaucoma Center of Excellence
• Ocular Genomics Institute

Biography

Dr. Wiggs is Associate Chief of Ophthalmology Clinical Research and Associate Director of the Howe Laboratory at Mass. Eye and Ear, as well as Vice Chair of Clinical Research at Harvard Medical School. She also serves as Associate Director of the Harvard Ophthalmology Glaucoma Center of Excellence and Ocular Genomics Institute. 

Dr. Wiggs studies genetic risk factors for various types of glaucoma. She is the principal investigator of the NIH funded NEIGHBORHOOD consortium as well as an NIH-funded study to identify genetic and environmental risk factors for exfoliation syndrome and exfoliation glaucoma. She recently was awarded an NIH grant to study genetic risk factors associated with loss of central vision in glaucoma. Other ongoing studies in the laboratory includethe identification of genes contributing to early-onset forms of glaucoma (congenital, juvenile and developmental glaucoma) as well as pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma and the identification of genes that contribute to ocular quantitative traits using a cohort of consanguineous families from India.

Education

1976: BA, Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley

1981: PhD, Biochemistry, University of California, Berkeley

1985: MD, Harvard Medical School

Postgraduate Training

1987: Fellowship, Molecular Genetics, Massachusetts Eye and Ear

1990: Residency, Harvard Ophthalmology

1991: Fellowship, Molecular Genetics, Massachusetts Eye and Ear

1992: Fellowship, Glaucoma, Massachusetts Eye and Ear

1996: Fellowship, Medical Genetics, Tufts Medical School

Academic Appointments

2015-present: Paul Chandler Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

2012-2015: Paul Austin Chandler Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

2005-2011: Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

2001-2005: Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

1993-2001: Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Genetics, Tufts Medical School

1992-1993: Instructor in Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

The Wiggs laboratory works on the identification of genetic factors that predispose to both mendelian and complex forms glaucoma. The identification of genes that can cause glaucoma will provide critical information regarding the biology of the disease as well as provide the basis for accurate methods of diagnosis and new and specific therapies.

Current investigations are focused on the genetic etiologies of adult onset primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma, glaucoma associated with Rieger syndrome and other anterior segment dysgenesis syndromes and juvenile open angle glaucoma. As part of these studies the laboratory has developed a registry of over 2,000 early and adult onset glaucoma patients. Dr. Wiggs has been continuously funded from the National Eye Institute for over 15 years. In addition to current R01 and R21 funding, she is a member of the NEI supported eyeGENE genotyping project for inherited ocular diseases.