Jeremy Chiang

Jeremy Chiang

PhD Candidate
In-vivo corneal confocaSupervisors: Associate Professor Maria Markoulli, Professor Arun Krishnan (Joint) Co-supervisors: Professor David Goldsteinl microscopy in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
In-vivo corneal confocal microscopy in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy

Research

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating side effect that can develop in up to 70% of patients with cancer following treatment with certain types of chemotherapy. These neurotoxic chemotherapy drugs can damage nerves in the hands and feet, leading to symptoms of numbness, tingling and sometimes burning pain which can last for years even after chemotherapy has stopped. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for this nerve damage and current methods of diagnosing this condition are inefficient and unreliable.

In-vivo confocal microscopy is a powerful instrument that can provide live images of the small nerve fibres in the cornea in a non-invasive and rapid manner. Jeremy’s research looks at how this imaging technique could aid in the assessment of peripheral neuropathy. He also aims to improve and maximize the capabilities of corneal nerve imaging in his future endeavours in ocular surface disease research, particularly in dry eye disease which is another global unmet problem with significant health and economic burden.

Biography

Jeremy is an optometrist committed to translating research outcomes into real-world clinical impact. As a clinician-scientist with expertise in multimodal ocular imaging, his research vision is to see how the eyes could be windows to our body and health. He is a recipient of multiple prestigious awards including the University Medal in Optometry and Vision Science, Early Career Research Division Tow Awards, as well as international travel grants from the International Society for Contact Lens Research (ISCLR) and the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). He is also an avid science and health communicator, being involved in advocacy efforts at the government level, teaching optometry/medical students and giving lectures to clinicians.

He is currently involved in ocular surface and corneal nerve imaging research, with an emphasis on neurotoxic chemotherapy based at the Prince of Wales Hospital in conjunction with the multi-institutional IN FOCUS study research group (https://www.infocusstudy.org.au/).

Education

PhD Candidate, 2019-2022

Thesis: “In-vivo corneal confocal microscopy in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy”

Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales (UNSW)

BOptom (Honours Class 1 & The University Medal) BSc, 2012-2016

Faculty of Science, UNSW
Email

jeremychungbo.chiang@unsw.edu.au

Publications

  1. Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Trinh T, et al. Tear film substance P in patients treated with neurotoxic chemotherapy. Exp Eye Res. 2022;224:109253.
  2. Chiang JCB, Krishnan A, Goldstein D, et al. The impact of post-tear collection storage on tear film substance P concentration. Curr Eye Res. 2022;47:1116-1120.
  3. Chiang JCB, Khou V, Tavakoli A, et al. Reproducibility and reliability of subbasal corneal nerve parameters of the inferior whorl in the neurotoxic and healthy cornea. Cornea. 2022;41:1487-1494.
  4. Chiang JCB, Arnold R, Dhanapalaratnam R, et al. Current and emerging pharmacotherapeutic interventions for the treatment of peripheral nerve disorders. Pharmaceuticals. 2022;15:1-29.
  5. Klisser J, Tummanapalli SS, Kim J, Chiang JCB, et al. Automated analysis of corneal nerve tortuosity in diabetes: implications for neuropathy detection. Clin Exp Optom. 2022;105:487-493.
  6. Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Park SB, et al. Corneal nerve changes following treatment with neurotoxic anticancer drugs. Ocul Surf. 2021;21:221-37.
  7. Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Tavakoli A, et al. Corneal dendritic cells and the subbasal nerve plexus following neurotoxic treatment with oxaliplatin or paclitaxel. Sci Rep. 2021;11:22884.
  8. Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Trinh T, et al. A cross-sectional study of sub-basal corneal nerve reduction following neurotoxic chemotherapy. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2021;10:24-24.
  9. Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Trinh T, et al. A cross-sectional study of ocular surface discomfort and corneal nerve dysfunction after paclitaxel treatment for cancer. Sci Rep. 2021;11:1786.
  10. Chiang JCB, Zahari I, Markoulli M, et al. The impact of anticancer drugs on the ocular surface. Ocul Surf. 2020;18,403-417.
  11. Issar T, Tummanapalli SS, Kwai NCG, Chiang JCB, Arnold R, Poynten AM, et al. Associations between acute glucose control and peripheral nerve structure and function in type 1 diabetes. Diabet Med. 2020. 

Awards

  1. Tow Awards PhD Top Up Scholarship, Prince of Wales Hospital, 2022
  2. Best presentation, Optometry Higher Degree Research Conference, UNSW, 2021 & 2020
  3. NSW Branch Scholarship, Australian Public Health Conference, PHAA, 2020
  4. Best presentation, 1 Minute Thesis Competition, UNSW, 2020
  5. The University Medal in Optometry and Vision Science, UNSW, 2017

Grants

  1. Tow Awards Travel Grant and Early Career Division winner, Prince of Wales Hospital, 2022
  2. HDR Completion Scholarship, UNSW, 2022
  3. Development and Research Training Grant, UNSW, 2022
  4. Student Travel Grant, International Society for Contact Lens Research, 2022
  5. Faculty of Medicine and Health Support Scholarship, UNSW, 2021
  6. Postgraduate Research Support Scheme, UNSW, 2021
  7. ARVO International Travel Grant, ARVO Baltimore, 2020

  8. Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (RTP), UNSW, 2019

 

Media

  1. Science Communication Training Fellowship project, ARVO, 2021-2022
  2. Short educational video for World Sight Day 2021 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zJmcnb7iYU)

Affiliations and Memberships

  1. Young Investigator, International Society of Eye Research, 2021-current
  2. Student Member, Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care, 2021-current
  3. Member-In-Training, ARVO, 2019-current
  4. Student Member, American Academy of Optometry, 2019-current
  5. Member, Optometry Australia, 2016-current
  6. Member, Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society, 2015-current

Conference Attendance

  1. Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Markoulli M, et al. Neural changes on the surface of the eyes in patients with cancer treated with neurotoxic chemotherapy. Early-Career Research Division, 48th Annual Tow Research Awards Day 2022.
  2. Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Trinh T, et al. Reduced tear film substance P and corneal nerve damage following neurotoxic chemotherapy. International Society for Contact Lens Research (ISCLR) Symposium 2022.
  3. Chiang JCB, Markoulli M, Trinh T, et al. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy with evidence of corneal nerve loss and dendritic cell increase: A cross-sectional study. 2021 Joint Meeting of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, MASCC and the International Society of Oral Oncology, ISOO. Support Care Cancer. 2021;29(SUPPL1),S123.
  4. Chiang JCB, Khou V, Tavakoli A, et al. Corneal inferior whorl morphology and reproducibility with in-vivo confocal microscopy in peripheral neuropathy. ARVO Imaging in the Eye Conference 2021.
  5. Chiang JCB, Goldstein D, Trinh T, et al. The relationship between the Ocular Surface Disease Index and conventional assessments of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract 2020, Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2020;61:3634-.