Mina Massaro, MD, director of the dry eye service at the NYU Langone Eye Center, leads research efforts into ocular surface diseases and conditions. The team investigates the diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of these and other conditions:  

• dry eye disease: studying mechanisms and new therapies for aqueous insufficiency, meibomian gland dysfunction, and inflammatory causes of dry eye  
• corneal nerve biology and pain: investigating corneal nerve imaging, regeneration, and novel therapies for neuropathic corneal pain  
• persistent corneal epithelial defects: exploring biologic therapies, including recombinant human nerve growth factor, to promote corneal healing  
• allergic and autoimmune ocular surface disease: advancing care for atopic keratoconjunctivitis, thyroid eye disease, graft-versus-host disease, and other autoimmune disorders 

If you are a medical student, fellow, or researcher interested in participating in research studies and clinical trials related to ocular surface diseases, please contact Artem Goncharenko, research coordinator, at Artem.Goncharenko@NYULangone.org.  

Clinical Trials 

The Eye Center’s clinical trials allow patients the possibility of accessing new therapies and treatments for dry eye disease, corneal nerve pain, atopic keratoconjunctivitis, and persistent corneal epithelial defects. Our research team collaborates with specialists in dermatology, psychiatry, pain medicine, and immunology across NYU Langone to study parallels between ocular and systemic surface disease and to broaden opportunities across specialties to advance care. 

Patients are screened for eligibility by our research team and doctors. If eligible, patients can enroll in a clinical trial and receive study treatment and regular evaluation by the research staff to assess how safe and effective the drug or treatment is.  

The following trial is ongoing and open for patient enrollment: Corneal Nerve Imaging in Diseased and Healthy Eyes Using Contact Video Specular Microscopy. 

Nerve Imaging Research 

NYU Langone’s Eye Center is the first institution in North America to acquire CellChek C, a wide-field-scanning specular microscope for research. This technology captures near-complete images of corneal nerves, allowing researchers unprecedented opportunities to explore nerve health, degeneration, and regeneration. This imaging tool is instrumental in identifying changes in corneal nerves associated with ocular surface diseases and neuropathic pain, which could significantly enhance diagnostic precision and therapeutic strategies.