Dr Stephanie Mroczkowska

Biography

Associate Professor of OptometryProgramme Lead for Postgraduate Optometry: MSc Advanced Clinical Practice in Ophthalmology
Previous roles:
Academic Lead BSc (Hons) Optometry (Interim): Jan 2020-August 2020
Programme Lead BSc (Hons) Optometry: Jan 2018-August 2020
Admission Tutor for BSc (Hons) Optometry: 2016-2018

Qualifications

Stephanie joined the University as a Lecturer in Optometry in 2013. She holds a first class honours degree in Optometry and completed her training at a large independent practice in Birmingham, where she continued to work after qualification. In 2009 she returned to an academic setting to complete her PhD entitled ‘Ocular and Systemic Vascular Dysfunction in Neurodegenerative disease’.
During her time at the University, Stephanie has become a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has a special interest in teaching physiology and ocular pathology and her active research areas of interest include vascular health, ageing and the mechanisms of ocular disease. She is currently supervising the research of two PhD students and has a number of national and international peer-reviewed journal publications, having presented her research internationally in the USA and Europe.
Stephanie is currently Programme Lead for Postgraduate Optometry (MSc Advanced Clinical Practice in Ophthalmology), having previously held the role of Academic Lead (Interim) and Programme Lead for the BSc (Hons) Optometry programme.

Professional membership

College of Optometrists (MCOptom)
General Optical Council (GOC)
Association of Optometrists (AOP)
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Teaching

Teaching interests

Module Teacher:
OPT603 Enhanced Pathology and Therapeutics

Research

Research interests

Aging and Vascular health
Ocular and systemic vascular function
Neurodegenerative disease
Mechanisms of Ocular disease: glaucoma, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration

Research groups

Eye and vision

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

Completed PhD supervision

Student Role Date
Leanne Smewing Director of Studies 2016-2019
Current PhD supervision

Student Role Start date
Joao Lourenco Director of Studies Sept 2017
Calvin Howorth Second Supervisor Sept 2017 (part time)

Grants & contracts

College of Optometrists Postgraduate Scholarship Award 2015
School of Health Professions Postgraduate Scholarship 2014

Publications

Journals

Mroczkowska S: Advances in ophthalmic techniques and technology: what should I note when assessing the retinal vasculature?; Optometry in Practice; 2016 17(2) InPress
Wolffsohn JS, Mroczkowska S, Hunt OA, Bilkhu B, Drew T, Sheppard A. Cross-over evaluation of silicone hydrogel daily disposable contact lenses. Optometry and Vision Science, 2015 In Press
Wolffsohn J, Hall L, Mroczkowska S, Hunt OA, Bilkhu P, Drew T, Sheppard A; The Influence of end of day silicone hydrogel daily disposable contact lens fit on ocular comfort, physiology and lens wettability; Contact Lens and Anterior Eye; 2015 (epub ahead of print)
Seshadri S, Mroczkowska S, Qin L, Patel SR, Ekart A, Gherghel D; Systemic circulatory influences on retinal microvascular function in middle-age individuals with low to moderate cardiovascular risk; Acta Ophthalmologica; 2015 Jun; 93(4):e266-74
Qin L, Mroczkowska S, Ekart A, Patel SR, Gibson JM, Gherghel D; Patients with early age-related macular degeneration exhibit signs of macro- and micro-vascular disease and abnormal blood glutathione levels. Graefe’s Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2014 Jan;252(1):23-30.
Mroczkowska S, Benavente-Perez A, Negi A, Sung V, Patel SR, Gherghel D. Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and Normal Tension Glaucoma: two separate diseases or one continuous entity? The vascular perspective. JAMA Ophthalmology; 2013, 131(1):36-43
Gherghel D, Mroczkowska S, Qin L. Reduction in Blood Glutathione Levels Occurs Similarly in Patients With Primary-Open Angle or Normal Tension Glaucoma, IOVS; 2013; 54: 3333-3339
Mroczkowska S, Benavente-Pérez A, Patel SR, Qin L, Bentham P, Gherghel D; Retinal vascular dysfunction relates to cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2013 Aug 9
Mroczkowska S, Ekart A, Sung V, Negi A, Qin L, Patel SR, Jacob S, Atkins C, Benavente-Perez A, Gherghel D. Coexistence of macro- and micro-vascular abnormalities in newly diagnosed normal tension glaucoma patients. Acta Ophthalmologica; 2012, 90(7), e553-9.

Conference Papers

Presentations and posters

Other Publications

Conference abstracts

Mroczkowska S, Benavente-Perez A, Patel S, Sung V, Negi A, Bentham P, Gherghel D. Retinal microvascular dysfunction occurs similarly in Alzheimer's disease and Primary Open Angle Glaucoma. The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). May 2015
Mroczkowska S, Calcagni A, Gibson JM, Chakravarthy U, Hogg R. Investigation in to the ability of Preferential Hyperacuity Perimetry (PHP) to detect reactivation of neovascularisation in patients undergoing ranibizumab injections for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). May 2013
Seshadri S, Qin L, Mroczkowska S, Patel S, Gherghel D. Circulating blood glutathione levels influence retinal microvascular function in healthy individuals. European Association for Vision and Eye Research (EVER). Oct 2013
Mroczkowska S, Benavente-Perez A, Patel S, Qin L, Bentham P, Gherghel D. Is the eye a window to the brain? Retinal vascular reactivity as a marker for endothelial function in Alzheimer’s disease. European Association for Vision and Eye Research (EVER). Oct 2010 ACADEMIC AWARDS Travel Grant for ‘Best paper in section’: Is the eye a window to the brain? Retinal vascular reactivity as a marker for endothelial function in Alzheimer’s disease. European Association for Vision and Eye Research (EVER). Oct 2010, Crete

Profiles

Associate Professor of Optometry (Education)

School of Health Professions (Faculty of Health)