Research Faculty

Lois Smith, MD, PhD

Department Ophthalmology
Hospital Title Associate in Ophthalmology
Academic Title Professor of Ophthalmology
Phone 617-355-6401
Fax 617-730-0392
Email Lois Smith
Location 300 Longwood Avenue
Fegan-4
Boston MA 02115

Research Overview

Lois Smith's research is directed at understanding the causes of retinopathy of prematurity and on developing methods to prevent it. Recent investigations in her laboratory have focused both on the factors that stimulate and on those that suppress the development of ROP.

One study demonstrated that retinopathy of prematurity may be due to the loss of the natural source of insulin-like growth factor 1--which is critical to blood vessel growth in the eye--from the amniotic fluid. The loss of IGF-1 is common among babies who have been delivered very prematurely.

Another has indicated that the induction of receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor beta 1(VEGFR-1) may prevent the oxygen-induced vessel loss that precipitates the ischemia of ROP. At the same time, she also determined that at a later stage, overproduction of VEGF can lead to the rampant vessel growth that is responsible for ROP.

In the next phase of this research, Smith and colleagues are exploring the use of growth factors to promote healthy early vessel growth and on the use of growth-factor inhibitors to block abnormal late growth.

About Lois Smith

Lois Smith received her MD from Boston University School of Medicine. She completed an internship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a residency at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and a fellowship at Children's Hospital Boston.

Key Publications

  • Chen J, Connor KM, Aderman CM, Smith LE. Erythropoietin deficiency decreases vascular stability in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2008; 118(2): 526-533.
     
  • Chen J, Connor KM, Smith LE. Overstaying their welcome: defective CX3CR1 microglia eyed in macular degeneration. Journal of Clininical Investigation. 2007; 117(10): 2758-62.
     
  • Connor KM, SanGiovanni JP, Lofqvist C, Aderman CM, Chen J, Higuchi A, Hong S, Pravda EA, Majchrzak S, Carper D, Hellstrom A, Kang JX, Chew EY, Salem N Jr, Serhan CN, Smith LE. Increased dietary intake of omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids reduces pathological retinal angiogenesis. Nature Medicine. 2007; 13(7): 868-73.
     
  • Lofqvist C, Chen J, Connor KM, Smith AC, Aderman CM, Liu N, Pintar JE, Ludwig T, Hellstrom A, Smith LE. IGFBP3 suppresses retinopathy through suppression of oxygen-induced vessel loss and promotion of vascular regrowth. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007; 104(25): 10589-94.
     
  • Chen J, Smith LE. Retinopathy of prematurity. Angiogenesis. 2007;10(2): 133-40.
     
  • Smith LE, Connor KM. A radically twisted lipid regulates vascular death. Nature Medicine. 2005; 11(12): 1275-6.
     
  • Smith LE. Pathogenesis of retinopathy of prematurity. Seminars in Neonatology. 2003; 8: 469-473.
     
  • Hellstrom A, Engstrom E, Hard AL, Albertsson-Wikland K, Carlsson B, Niklasson A, Lofqvist C, Svensson E, Holm S, Ewald U, Holmstrom G, Smith LE. Postnatal serum insulin-like growth factor I deficiency is associated with retinopathy of prematurity and other complications of premature birth. Pediatrics. 2003; 112: 1016-1020.
     
  • Shih SC, Ju M, Liu N, Smith LE. Selective stimulation of VEGFR-1 prevents oxygen-induced retinal vascular degeneration in retinopathy of prematurity. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 2003; 112: 50-57.