I study how diabetes quietly damages the nervous system using the eye as a window. My research spans fixational eye movements, corneal nerve imaging, and retinal electrophysiology to detect neuropathy before it becomes clinically apparent.
I am a second-year PhD student in Physiological Optics and Vision Science at the University of Houston College of Optometry (GPA 3.91), working in the Diabetes Biomarker Discovery Laboratory of Dr. Wendy W. Harrison, with co-mentorship from Dr. Daniel R. Coates and Dr. Maria K. Walker.
My dissertation Multimodal Biomarker Development for Early Detection of Diabetic Ocular Complications — develops sensitive, non-invasive biomarkers for diabetic neuropathy before retinal damage becomes clinically visible. I lead every phase of these projects: protocol design, patient recruitment, imaging acquisition, image quantification, and statistical modeling.
Before coming to Houston, I earned my Bachelor of Optometry from NAMS University in Kathmandu, Nepal (GPA 3.95), and worked as an optometrist intern and research assistant at Nepal Eye Hospital. A patient with oculocutaneous albinism I examined during my internship crystallized my goal: to become a clinician-scientist whose research translates into better early screening tools.
My dissertation comprises two complementary projects that each target a different modality of ocular change in diabetes. Beyond my dissertation, I contribute to preclinical and methodological studies that extend the lab's translational scope.
Using Tracking Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy (TSLO) to quantify saccade amplitude, velocity, acceleration, and drift across glycemic groups. I identified a novel directional asymmetry vertical saccades are selectively disrupted while horizontal are preserved suggesting supranuclear pathway vulnerability to hyperglycemia. Published in Scientific Reports (2026).
Integrating in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) of the corneal sub-basal nerve plexus with multifocal ERG across 70 participants (controls, prediabetes, T2DM). Pilot data show HbA1c correlates negatively with corneal nerve density and positively with tortuosity; mfERG P1 implicit time is delayed in T2DM. Testing whether these structures degenerate along a shared trajectory.
Contributing to a study investigating dose-dependent effects of a GLP-1 receptor agonist on retinal VEGF expression in a high-fat-diet rat model of T2DM, using whole-mount retinal immunostaining, qPCR, and quantitative image analysis. Grounds clinical biomarker research in molecular mechanisms.
Developing a hybrid optic-nerve-head tracking algorithm (kernelized correlation filter + normalized cross-correlation) to passively extract fixation stability from routine mfERG fundus video positioning mfERG as a dual-purpose first-line screening tool without added testing burden.
Peer-reviewed publications, co-authored research, and conference presentations in physiological optics and clinical vision science.
Imaging: TSLO (fixational eye movement analysis), IVCM (corneal nerve quantification CNFD, CNBD, CNFL, fiber thickness, beading morphology), Specular Microscopy, Corneal Topography, OCT/OCTA, mfERG, Fundus Photography, Slit-Lamp Biomicroscopy
Analysis: Python (NumPy, SciPy, pandas, OpenCV, scikit-learn), MATLAB, FIJI/ImageJ (morphometry, nerve tracing, beading measurement), ACCMetrics, NeuronJ, Celleste, SPSS, JASP
Methods: Study design, IRB protocols, human-subjects data collection, multivariate modeling, logistic regression, ROC curve analysis, intraclass correlation, mixed-effects models
Clinical: Specialty contact lens fitting (keratoconus, irregular corneas), comprehensive ophthalmic examination, diabetic retinopathy diagnosis and staging
Outside of research I love exploring the world through travel experiencing different cultures and places keeps me curious and grounded. I also enjoy cooking, from experimenting with dishes to crafting homemade beverages and trying to recreate flavors from places I've visited.
From conference podiums to world landmarks — a glimpse into life in and out of the lab.
Open to research collaborations, academic discussions, and connecting with others in vision science, clinical optometry, or ocular neuroscience.