Position Title
Assistant Professor of Comparative Ophthalmology
Dr. Brian Leonard is originally from Rochester, NY and attended Kenyon College in Gambier, OH for his undergraduate education. He subsequently completed his DVM/PhD through a combined Veterinary Scientist Training Program at the University of California, Davis. After graduation, he completed a one-year small animal rotating internship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, followed by a four-year residency in Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology at the University of California and achieved board-certification. Dr. Leonard serves roles as both an Assistant Professional Researcher in the vision science laboratory of Drs. Christopher Murphy and Sara Thomasy at the University of California, Davis, and as a clinician in the Comparative Ophthalmology Service of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.
His research is focused on the interaction between keratocytes of the cornea and the surrounding extracellular matrix in the context of corneal wound healing. Keratorefractive surgery is a commonly performed worldwide as a means for improving vision, however the outcome is dependent on a highly coordinated wound healing response. During healing, corneal keratocytes transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts, and aberrant persistence of the myofibroblast phenotype is associated with corneal fibrosis and poor patient visual outcomes. Dr. Leonard’s research is centered on uncovering the signaling pathways that drive the keratocytes to myofibroblast transdifferentiation and exploring complex interaction between these cells and the extracellular matrix of the corneal stroma. The goal of his research is to modulate these signaling pathways to orchestrate the wound healing process, prevent the development of corneal fibrosis and ultimately, improve patient outcomes.