NIIOS Education - Fellowship Program

The Cornea and External Disease fellowship is a full-time appointment to the NIIOS staff. The fellowship carries a stipend for 6 months, including one week for vacation or professional leave. Applicant fellows must have completed an accredited residency in ophthalmology in the EU or equivalent thereof and be Board eligible in ophthalmology.

Program Directors

Gerrit R.J. Melles, MD PhD
Jacqueline van der Wees, PhD

Program Description

The NIIOS offers a fellowship of six months. It is anticipated that fellows participate in

  • clinical work at the Melles CorneaClinic, to achieve a basic training in advanced procedures for corneal transplantation;
  • laboratory work at Amnitrans Eyebank, to achieve a basic training in surgical preparation and preservation of donor corneal tissue used for advanced procedures for corneal transplantation;
  • a program of laboratory and clinical research to complete three scientific papers on clinical or laboratory studies related to keratoplasty. 

To apply, please contact us through the contact page.

 

 Clinical fellows

 

Chandra Balachandran, FRANZCO, MBBS, BSc Med 
Corneal fellow January thru June 2008

Publications accomplished at NIIOS:
• Balachandran C, Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Reply to Comment by FW Price et al on ‘Spontaneous corneal clearance despite graft detachment after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty’. Am J Ophthalmol 2010;149:174-5.
• Balachandran C, Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Reply to Comment by Stewart et al on ‘Spontaneous corneal clearance despite graft detachment in Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty’. Am J Ophthalmol 2010;149:683-4.
• Ham L, Balachandran C, Verschoor AM, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Visual rehabilitation rate after isolated Descemet membrane transplantation: Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. Arch Ophthalmol 2009;127:252-5.
• Balachandran C, Ham L, Birbal R, Wong TH, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Simple technique for graft insertion in Descemet-stripping (automated) endothelial keratoplasty using a 30-gauge needle. J Cataract Refract Surg 2009;35:625-8.
• Balachandran C, Ham L, Verschoor CA, Ong TS, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Spontaneous Corneal Clearance Despite Graft Detachment in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). Am J Ophthalmol 2009;148:227-34.

 
    

Isabel Dapena, MD 
Corneal fellow September 2008 thru August 2009

Publications accomplished at NIIOS:
• Dapena I, Moutsouris K, Droutsas K, Ham L, van Dijk K, Melles GRJ. Standardized ‘no touch’ technique for Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK): Controlled donor tissue implantation, orientation, unrolling, centering, appositioning and fixation. Arch of Ophthalmol. Accepted.
• Ham L, Dapena L, Moutsouris K, Melles GRJ. Persistent corneal edema after descemetorhexis without corneal graft implantation in a case of Fuchs endothelial dystrophy. Cornea. Accepted.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Moutsouris K, Melles GRJ. Incidence of recipient Descemet membrane remnants at the donor-to-stromal interface after descemetorhexis in endothelial keratoplasty. Br J Ophthalmol. Accepted.
• Dapena I, Dapena L, Dirisamer M, Ham L, Melles GRJ. Visual acuity and endothelial cell density following Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol. Submitted.
• Villarrubia A, Fuentes-Páez G, Dapena I, Palacín E, Rodríguez Ausín P. Deep Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty with Melles´ technique: Mid-term clinical outcome in relatively high risk population. Cornea. Submitted.
• Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Endothelial cell density after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). 1-3 year follow-up. Am J Ophthalmol 2010;149:1016-7.
• Dapena I, Ham L, van Luijk C, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Back-up procedure for graft failure in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). Br J Ophthalmol 2010;94:241-4.
• Dapena I, Moutsouris M, Ham L, Melles GRJ. Graft detachment rate. Ophthalmology 2010;117:847-7e1.
• Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Secondary DMEK for low visual outcome after DSEK: Donor posterior stroma may limit visual acuity in endothelial keratoplasty. Cornea. In press.
• Ham L, Dapena I, van Luijk C, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy: review of the first 50 consecutive cases. Eye 2009;23:1990-8.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Melles GRJ. Endothelial keratoplasty: DSEK/DSAEK or DMEK - the thinner the better? Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2009;20:299-307.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Tabak S, Balachandran C, Melles GRJ. Phacoemulsification after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. J Cataract Refract Surg 2009;35:1314-5.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Lie JT, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Queratoplastia endotelial de membrana de Descemet (DMEK): Resultados a dos anos. Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol 2009;84:237-44.

Book Chapters:
• Dapena I, Moutsouris K, Droutsas K, Ham L, van Dijk K, Melles GRJ. Queratoplastia endotelial de membrana de Descemet (DMEK): Técnica quirúrgica. In Villarrubia A (ed.): Trasplante del endotelio corneal. 2010:173-83.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Dirisamer M, Melles GRJ. DMEK: resultados y comparación con DSEK/DSAEK. In Villarrubia A (ed.): Trasplante del endotelio corneal. 2010:185-95. 
  

Kyros Moutsouris, MD 
Corneal fellow February thru September 2009

Publications accomplished at NIIOS:
• Dapena I, Moutsouris K, Droutsas K, Ham L, van Dijk K, Melles GRJ. Standardized ‘no touch’ technique for Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK): Controlled donor tissue implantation, orientation, unrolling, centering, appositioning and fixation. Arch of Ophthalmol. Accepted.
• Dapena I, Moutsouris M, Ham L, Melles GRJ. Graft detachment rate. Ophthalmology 2010;117:847-7e1.
• Moutsouris K, Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Radial graft contraction may relate to subnormal visual acuity in Descemet stripping (automated) endothelial keratoplasty. Br J Ophthalmol 2010;94:951-3.
• Moutsouris K, Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Βραχυπροθεσμα αποτελεσματα της ενδοθηλιακης κερατοπλαστικης Δεσκεμετειου μεμβρανης (DMEK) για την αντιμεταπιση της ενδοθηλιακης δυστροφιας του Fuchs. Short term results of Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) in the management of Fuchs endothelial dystrophy. Greek Ann Ophthalmol 2009;4:345-54.

 
 

Konstantinos Droutsas, MD PhD 
Corneal fellow September 2009 thru March 2010

Publications accomplished at NIIOS:
• Droutsas K, Ham L, Dapena I, Geerling G, Oellerich S, Melles GRJ. Visus nach Descemet-Membran Endothelkeratoplastik (DMEK). Ergebnisse der ersten 100 Eingriffe bei Fuchs’scher Endotheldystrophie. Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkd 2010;227:467-77.
• Lie JT, Droutsas K, Ham L, Dapena I, Ververs B, Otten H, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Isolated Bowman layer transplantation to manage persistent subepithelial haze after excimer laser surface ablation. J Cataract Refract Surg 2010;36:1036-41.

 

 

Martin Dirisamer, MD
Corneal fellow from February 2010

 Research fellows

  
 

Chantal van Luijk, MD
Research fellow April 2008 thru March 2009

Publication accomplished at NIIOS:
• Ham L, van Luijk C, Dapena I, Wong TH, Birbal R, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Endothelial cell density after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK): 1- to 2-year follow-up. Am J Ophthalmol 2009;148:521-7.

 
 

 

 

Lisanne Ham, MSc

Publications accomplished at the NIIOS:
• Ham L, Dapena L, Moutsouris K, Melles GRJ. Persistent corneal edema after descemetorhexis without corneal graft implantation in a case of Fuchs endothelial dystrophy. Cornea. Accepted.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Moutsouris K, Melles GRJ. Incidence of recipient Descemet membrane remnants at the donor-to-stromal interface after descemetorhexis in endothelial keratoplasty. Br J Ophthalmol. Accepted.
• Droutsas K, Ham L, Dapena I, Geerling G, Oellerich S, Melles GRJ. Visus nach Descemet-Membran Endothelkeratoplastik (DMEK). Ergebnisse der ersten 100 Eingriffe bei Fuchs’scher Endotheldystrophie. Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkd 2010;227:467-77.
• Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Endothelial cell density after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). 1-3 year follow-up. Am J Ophthalmol 2010;149:1016-7.
• Dapena I, Ham L, van Luijk C, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Back-up procedure for graft failure in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). Br J Ophthalmol 2010;94:241-4.
• Balachandran C, Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Reply to Comment by FW Price et al on ‘Spontaneous corneal clearance despite graft detachment after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty’. Am J Ophthalmol 2010;149:174-5.
• Balachandran C, Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Reply to Comment by Stewart et al on ‘Spontaneous corneal clearance despite graft detachment in Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty’. Am J Ophthalmol 2010;149:683-4.
• Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Secondary DMEK for low visual outcome after DSEK: Donor posterior stroma may limit visual acuity in endothelial keratoplasty. Cornea. In press.
• Moutsouris K, Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Radial graft contraction may relate to subnormal visual acuity in Descemet stripping (automated) endothelial keratoplasty. Br J Ophthalmol 2010;94:951-3.
• Moutsouris K, Ham L, Dapena I, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Βραχυπροθεσμα αποτελεσματα της ενδοθηλιακης κερατοπλαστικης Δεσκεμετειου μεμβρανης (DMEK) για την αντιμεταπιση της ενδοθηλιακης δυστροφιας του Fuchs. Short term results of Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) in the management of Fuchs endothelial dystrophy. Greek Ann Ophthalmol 2009;4:345-54.
• Ham L, Balachandran C, Verschoor AM, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Visual rehabilitation rate after isolated Descemet membrane transplantation: Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. Arch Ophthalmol 2009;127:252-5.
• Ham L, van Luijk C, Dapena I, Wong TH, Birbal R, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Endothelial cell density after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK): 1- to 2-year follow-up. Am J Ophthalmol 2009;148:521-7.
• Balachandran C, Ham L, Birbal R, Wong TH, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Simple technique for graft insertion in Descemet-stripping (automated) endothelial keratoplasty using a 30-gauge needle. J Cataract Refract Surg 2009;35:625-8.
• Ham L, Dapena I, van Luijk C, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for Fuchs endothelial dystrophy: review of the first 50 consecutive cases. Eye 2009;23:1990-8.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Melles GRJ. Endothelial keratoplasty: DSEK/DSAEK or DMEK - the thinner the better? Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2009;20:299-307.
• Balachandran C, Ham L, Verschoor CA, Ong TS, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Spontaneous Corneal Clearance Despite Graft Detachment in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). Am J Ophthalmol 2009;148:227-34.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Tabak S, Balachandran C, Melles GRJ. Phacoemulsification after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. J Cataract Refract Surg 2009;35:1314-5.
• Dapena I, Ham L, Lie JT, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Queratoplastia endotelial de membrana de Descemet (DMEK): Resultados a dos anos. Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol 2009;84:237-44.
• Ham L, van der Wees J, Melles GRJ. Causes of primary donor failure in Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. Am J Ophthalmol 2008;145:639-44.
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

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