Dr Simin Masoudi

Simin is a Senior Research Associate at the School of Optometry and Vision Science. In 2015, she completed her PhD at the University of New South Wales. Her current post-doctoral research focuses on tear film biochemistry, which involves using advanced analytical techniques to investigate lipids in tears. Her research in the field of lipidomics aims to identify lipids in human tears, explore their antibacterial properties, examine their role in destabilising tears in dry eye disease, and investigate their effect on eye discomfort caused by contact lenses.

Simin’s current line of research is aligned with her previous work in tear proteomics and developing a novel mass-spectrometry analytical method that allowed for simultaneous ex-vivo quantification of multiple tear proteins in minute sample volumes. Application of the method was confirmed in the characterisation of tear proteomic changes in contact lens discomfort.

Education:

• PhD in The Tear Biochemistry, School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of NSW, Australia
• Bachelor Science Honours Degree in Chemistry, Beheshti University, Iran
• Graduate Diploma, Medical Cytotechnology, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
• Higher Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Research Areas:

Simin’s primary research interest is in the application of mass spectrometry to the analysis of biologically relevant molecules.

Specific areas of interest include:

• Lipidomics
• Proteomics
• Contact lens-related discomfort
• disease biomarkers
• Ocular microbiome

Currently seeking research volunteers for the following projects:

https://www.optometry.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/HC190521_Recruitment%20Advertisement%20contact%20lenses%20change.pdf

Awards and Grants:

• The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Travel Grant 2014
• Brien Holden Vision Institute Travel Award, 2014
• Brien Holden Vision Institute Travel Award, 2013
• UNSW Tuition Fee Remission Scholarship (TFR) 2010 to 2014
• Faculty of Science Tuition Fee Stipend Scholarship, UNSW, 2010 to 2014
• Postgraduate Research Support Scheme (PRSS) Award, UNSW, 2013

Professional membership:

• Tear Film Ocular Surface Society (TFOS)
• Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
• American Academy of Optometry (AAO)

Books (translated/published)

• A Guide to Contact Lens Management. Noel A. Brennan PhD, Adrian S. Bruce PhD. CIBA Vision Group of Companies, Third Edition, Persian translation 2004, CIBA Vision March 2005
• A Guide to Contact Lens Management. Noel A. Brennan PhD, Adrian S. Bruce PhD. CIBA Vision Group of Companies 1993, translated in 1993

Invited lectures

• Tear film in Symptomatic and asymptomatic contact lens wearers. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting, Colorado, Denver, USA. May, 2015
• Changes in tear proteins in contact lens discomfort, Diurnal changes of lipid inflammatory mediators in human tears with and without contact lenses, the International Conference on the Tear Film & Ocular Surface: Basic Science and Clinical Relevance (TFOS), Taormina, Italy, September 2013
• Diurnal changes of human tear proteins with and without contact lenses and their correlation with ocular comfort, The International Society for Contact Lens Research (ISCLR), Kyoto, Japan, August 2013

Abstracts/presentations at conferences

• Simin Masoudi, Todd Mitchell, Mark Willcox, In vitro lipid deposition and extraction from two silicone hydrogel contact lenses; Accepted for presentation. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, USA. May 1-5, 2016
• Mark DP Willcox, Jennifer T Saville, Athira Rohit, Simin Masoudi, Todd W Mitchell, Stephen J Blanksby, The Effect of Contact Lens Wear on Concentration of Phospholipids in the Tear Film; British Contact Lens Association Conference. Liverpool, England. 29-31 May 2015
• Mark Willcox, Simin Masoudi, Athira Rohit, Simon Brown, Todd Mitchell. The effect of tear collection and processing on the tear film lipidome. Academy, Denver, USA.  November 2014
• Simin Masoudi, Mark Willcox, Tear Proteins and Contact Lens Discomfort. Ocular Surface Science and Dry-Eye Conference, Sydney, Australia. 25-27 July 2014
• Simin Masoudi, Fiona Stapleton, Todd Mitchell, Mark Willcox. Diurnal variations of human tear lipids. ARVO Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, USA. May 4-8, 2014
• Simin Masoudi, Fiona Stapleton, Mark Willcox. Diurnal changes of lipid inflammatory mediators in human tears with and without contact lenses. The International Conference on the Tear Film & Ocular Surface: Basic Science and Clinical Relevance (TFOS), Taormina Italy, September 2013
• Simin Masoudi, Jennie Diec, Fiona Stapleton, Thomas Naduvilath, Mark Willcox. Diurnal changes of human tear proteins with and without contact lenses and their correlation with ocular comfort. International Society for Contact lens, Kyoto Japan, August 2013
• Simin Masoudi, Ling Zhong, Mark Raftery, Mark Willcox, Method development for analysis of tear proteins using Multiple Reaction Monitoring. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, USA. May 5-9, 2013
• Mark DP Willcox, Negar Babei Omali, Simin Masoudi, Use of Multiple Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry to Identify and Quantify Proteins in the Tear Film and in Contact Lens Deposits. 16^th Symposium on the Material Science and Chemistry of Contact lenses. New Orleans, Louisiana, 14-16 November 2012
• Simin Masoudi, Zhenjun Zhao, Amali Ariyavidana, Jennie Diec, Pauline Xu, Mark Willcox, Contact lens wear-induced ocular discomfort and changes to inflammatory mediators in human tears. British Contact Lens Association (BCLA), 2012.
• Hua Zhu, Ajay K. Vijay, Jerome Ozkan, Duojia Wu, Simin Masoudi, Roya N. Borazjani, Mark D. Willcox. The Influence of Lens Wear on Bacterial Adhesion to Silicone Hydrogel Lenses. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. May 1 - 5, 2011.
• H. Zhu, R. Bandara, S. Masoudi, D. Wu, M.D.P. Willcox. Evaluation of Antimicrobial Efficacy of A Multipurpose Solution against Clinical Microbial Isolates. Poster. British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) Annual meeting, Birmingham, UK. May 27-30, 2010.
• Mahesh Bandara, Simin Masoudi, Hua Zhu, Mark DP Willcox. (2009) Disinfection efficacy of protamine against ocular pathogens. Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. May 3 -7, 2009.
• Zhu, H., Bandara, M., Kumar, A., Masoudi, S., Wu, D., Willcox, M.D.P. (2008) Contribution of regimen steps to efficacy of multipurpose solutions used to disinfect silicone hydrogel contact lenses. 18^th International Congress of Eye Research (ICER), Beijing. 24-29 September, 2008.
• Hume, E., Masoudi, S., Zhu, H., Cole, N., Willcox, M.D.P. (2007) Is the current ISO for Contact Lens Disinfection Sufficient? International Society for Contact Lens Research, 14^th Scientific Meeting, Whistler, Canada. 12-17 August, 2007

Research Groups

• Eye Research Group
• Ocular Surface Research (Inc. Dry Eye and Contact Lenses)

Research Topics

• Dry eye: contact lens wear, innervation and symptoms, sex hormones

Tear film biochemistry, ocular homeostasis and pathology