Dr. Zouache is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Utah. His research involves designing and implementing multidisciplinary approaches to solve complex problems at the interface between clinical ophthalmology, molecular biology, data science and engineering disciplines. His primary research interest is directed towards understanding the etiology and natural history of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide. He is also interested in characterizing transport phenomena – or the exchange of mass, energy, charge and momentum between systems – in the eye in health and how they change in disease.
Dr. Zouache trained as an Engineer in his native France before pursuing advanced degrees in Biology and Health in the United Kingdom. He holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from University College London, UK, where he worked within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Institute of Ophthalmology. He has taught many courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has given instructional courses designed to foster cross-disciplinary collaborations. As part of his research, Dr Zouache developed a theoretical framework to characterize the blood flow and passive transport in the choriocapillaris, the microvascular bed sustaining the outer part of the retina, which includes the photoreceptors. This framework dramatically improved our understanding of mass transfers across the blood-retinal barrier and their impact on retinal homeostasis.
Dr Zouache currently works on refining our understanding of the etiology and natural history of AMD and developing a mechanistic understanding of the processes driving pathologies associated with this disease. This research is designed to generate a robust understanding of the differential contribution of genetic, biological and environmental factors to AMD onset and course of progression. Dr Zouache's goal is to translate this improved understanding into effective therapeutic strategies and precision medicine for this complex blinding disease.
Education History
| Postdoctoral Fellowship |
University College London Ophthalmology & Engineering |
Postdoctoral Fellow |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral Training |
University College London Biomedical Sciences |
Ph.D. |
| Graduate Training |
Cranfield University Medical Diagnostics |
M.Sc. |
| Graduate Training |
École Centrale de Lille Engineering |
M.S. |
Selected Publications
- Amoaku WM, Sampalli A, Silvestri V, Cushley LN, Akafo S, Amissah-Arthur KN, Lartey S, Hageman CN, Hubbard WC, Pappas CM, Zouache MA, Stevenson M, Hageman GS, Silvestri G, Ghana AMD Study Group (2022). Characterization of West African Crystalline Macular Dystrophy in the Ghanaian Population. Ophthalmol Retina.
- Zouache MA (2022). Variability in Retinal Neuron Populations and Associated Variations in Mass Transport Systems of the Retina in Health and Aging. [Review]. Front Aging Neurosci, 14, 778404.
- Schmitz-Valckenberg S, Fleckenstein M, Zouache MA, Pfau M, Pappas C, Hageman JL, Agrn E, Malley C, Keenan TDL, Chew EY, Hageman GS (2022). Progression of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Among Individuals Homozygous for Risk Alleles on Chromosome 1 (CFH-CFHR5) or Chromosome 10 (ARMS2/HTRA1) or Both. JAMA Ophthalmol, 140(3), 252-260.
- Pappas CM, Zouache MA, Matthews S, Faust CD, Hageman JL, Williams BL, Richards BT, Hageman GS (2021). Protective chromosome 1q32 haplotypes mitigate risk for age-related macular degeneration associated with the CFH-CFHR5 and ARMS2/HTRA1 loci. Hum Genomics, 15(1), 60.
- Williams BL, Seager NA, Gardiner JD, Pappas CM, Cronin MC, Amat di San Filippo C, Anstadt RA, Liu J, Toso MA, Nichols L, Parnell TJ, Eve JR, Bartel PL, Zouache MA, Richards BT, Hageman GS (2021). Chromosome 10q26-driven age-related macular degeneration is associated with reduced levels of HTRA1 in human retinal pigment epithelium. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 118(30).
- Zouache MA, Bennion A, Hageman JL, Pappas C, Richards BT, Hageman GS (2020). Macular retinal thickness differs markedly in age-related macular degeneration driven by risk polymorphisms on chromosomes 1 and 10. Sci Rep, 10(1), 21093.
- Jacobsen BH, Shah AA, Aggarwal S, Mwanansao C, McFadden M, Zouache MA, Shakoor A (2020). Prevalence of Retinal Diseases and Associated Risk Factors in an African Population From Mwanza, Tanzania. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina, 51(5), S17-S25.
- Zouache MA, Silvestri G, Amoaku WM, Silvestri V, Hubbard WC, Pappas C, Akafo S, Lartey S, Mastey RR, Carroll J, Hageman GS (2020). Comparison of the Morphology of the Foveal Pit Between African and Caucasian Populations. Transl Vis Sci Technol, 9(5), 24.
- Zouache MA, Eames I, Klettner CA, Luthert, PJ (2019). Flow and passive transport in planar multipolar flows. J Fluid Mech, 858, 184-227.
- Zouache MA, Eames I, Klettner CA, Luthert PJ (2016). Form, shape and function: segmented blood flow in the choriocapillaris. Sci Rep, 6, 35754.
- Zouache MA, Eames I, Samsudin A (2016). Allometry and Scaling of the Intraocular Pressure and Aqueous Humour Flow Rate in Vertebrate Eyes. PLoS One, 11(3), e0151490.
- Zouache MA, Eames I, Luthert PJ (2015). Blood flow in the choriocapillaris. J Fluid Mech, 774, 37-66.
Global Impact
Education History
| Type | School | Degree |
|---|---|---|
| Doctoral Training | University College London Biomedical Sciences |
Ph.D. |
| Graduate Training | Cranfield University Medical Diagnostics |
M.Sc. |
| Graduate Training | École Centrale de Lille Engineering |
M.S. |
| Postdoctoral Fellowship | University College London Ophthalmology & Engineering |
Postdoctoral Fellow |