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Matthew Petroll, Ph.D.

Matthew Petroll, Ph.D.

Professor

Endowed Title
Dr. W. Maxwell Thomas Chair in Ophthalmology
School
Medical School
Department
Ophthalmology | Biomedical Engineering
Graduate Programs
Biomedical Engineering
  • Biography

    Dr. Petroll received his BS degree in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University in 1984, and his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1989. After two years at Georgetown University in the lab of Drs. James Jester and Dwight Cavanagh, he joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in 1991. He was promoted to professor in 2005, and became Chair of the Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering in 2012.

    Dr. Petroll’s laboratory applies engineering approaches and design principles to the investigation of fundamental clinical and biological problems in ophthalmology, while providing training to graduate students, medical students and post-docs. The main focus of Dr. Petroll’s research is cell mechanics and tissue engineering, in which multidimensional time-lapse imaging is used to investigate how the mechanical behavior of corneal fibroblasts is regulated by both biochemical and biophysical stimuli. He also has a longstanding interest in the development and application of in vivo confocal microscopy, which allows quantitative 3-D imaging of the cornea and has been used in numerous research and clinical studies on corneal wound healing, toxicity, development and infection.

  • Education
    Undergraduate
    Duke University (1984), Biomedical Engineering
    Graduate School
    University of Virginia - Sfs (1989), Biomedical Engineering
  • Research Interest
    • Cell Mechanics
    • Cellular Imaging
    • Corneal Cell Biology
    • Tissue Engineering
    • Wound Healing
  • Publications

    Star Featured Publications

    Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured Featured
    The impact of UV cross-linking on corneal stromal cell migration, differentiation and patterning.
    Petroll WM, Miron-Mendoza M, Sunkara Y, Ikebe HR, Sripathi NR, Hassaniardekani H, Exp Eye Res 2023 Aug 233 109523
    Sutureless Conjunctiva-Sparing Posterior Ptosis Repair Surgery: A Novel Technique.
    Mancini R, Forouzan P, Keenum ZG, Tenzel PA, Petroll WM, Am J Ophthalmol 2023 Jul 251 77-89
    Effects of Topography and PDGF on the Response of Corneal Keratocytes to Fibronectin-Coated Surfaces.
    Lam KH, Shihabeddin TZ, Awkal JA, Najjar AM, Miron-Mendoza M, Maruri DP, Varner VD, Petroll WM, Schmidtke DW, J Funct Biomater 2023 Apr 14 4
  • Honors & Awards
    • Fellow, Gold Level
      Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (2020)
    • Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
      (2017)
    • Fellow, Silver Level
      Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (2009)
    • Senior Scientific Investigator Award
      Research to Prevent Blindness (2008)
    • Olga Keith Weiss Scholar Award
      Research to Prevent Blindness (1999)
  • Professional Associations/Affiliations
    • Chair, UTSW Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering (2012)
    • Member, American Society for Cell Biology
    • Member, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
    • Member, Biomedical Engineering Society