Director
Thomas M. Lietman, MD
Thomas M. Lietman, MD
Director, Francis I. Proctor Foundation
Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Epidemiology, UCSF
Education and Training
- BA, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry: Yale College
- MD: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Fellowship: HHMI-NIH, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD
- Residency, Ophthalmology: Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University
- Fellowship, Cornea & External Diseases, and Uveitis: F.I. Proctor Foundation, UCSF
- Fellowship, Modeling of Infectious Diseases: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF
- Santa Fe Institute: Complex Systems Summer School
Research and Global Work
Dr. Lietman’s research focuses on ocular infectious diseases, trachoma elimination strategies, corneal ulcer treatment trials, and global antibiotic resistance. He combines epidemiology, clinical trials, and mathematical modeling to guide public health interventions in trachoma-endemic countries.
Research Interests: Ocular health, surgery, anesthesia & pain
Research Locations: Egypt, Ethiopia, The Gambia, India, Niger, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States
Affiliations: UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences – Center for Health Equity in Surgery & Anesthesia
Research Funding
- UCSF-Proctor Clinician Vision Scholars K12 Program (K12EY031372)
- Azithromycin Reduction to Reach Elimination of Trachoma (UG1EY030833)
- Steroids and Cross-linking for Ulcer Treatment – SCUT II (UG1EY028518)
- Kebele Elimination of Trachoma for Ocular Health (UG1EY028088)
- Forecasting Trachoma Control (R01EY025350)
Most Cited Publications
- 2016 ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria for Primary Sjögren's Syndrome. PMID: 27785888
- Important causes of visual impairment in the world today. PMID: 14559961
- Azithromycin to Reduce Childhood Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. PMID: 29694816
- The mycotic ulcer treatment trial. PMID: 23710492
- Corticosteroids for bacterial keratitis. PMID: 21987582
- Effect of mass distribution of azithromycin for trachoma control. PMID: 19724043
- Macrolide and Nonmacrolide Resistance with Mass Azithromycin Distribution. PMID: 33176084
- The Global Trachoma Mapping Project. PMID: 26158580
- The clinical differentiation of bacterial and fungal keratitis. PMID: 22395880
- Gut microbiome alteration in MORDOR I. PMID: 31406349
Latest Publications
- Trachoma. Lancet. 2025
- The role of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention in the effect of Azithromycin on Child Mortality. medRxiv. 2025
- A Distinguishable Peripheral Blood and Conjunctival Transcriptome and Gut Microbiome in Sjögren's Disease. Eye Contact Lens. 2025
- Comparison of antimicrobial resistance genes on the ocular surface of patients with corneal infections in California and Malawi. Int Health. 2025
- Costs, Coverage, and Acceptability of Azithromycin Mass Administration. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2025
- Seasonality of underweight among infants in Niger. BMJ Glob Health. 2025
- Mass distribution of azithromycin and child mortality among underweight infants. BMJ Open. 2025
- Association of Weather Variables With Pathogens Contributing to Conjunctivitis Worldwide. Clin Infect Dis. 2025
- Prevalence of Ocular Chlamydia trachomatis and Active Trachoma. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2025
- Identifying Borderline Trachoma Grades Using a Three-Latent Class Model. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2025