Dr. Haijiang Lin, MD

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Get to know Ophthalmologist Dr. Haijiang Lin, who serves patients in Worcester, Massachusetts. 

Dr. Lin is a skilled, fellowship-trained ophthalmologist who provides excellent eye care for patients with multi-specialty conditions, including eyeglasses prescription, cataracts, glaucoma, dry eye, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular disease, and age-related macular degeneration. He is a part of the team of professionals at UMass Memorial Eye Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

From comprehensive eye exams to specialty services for virtually any eye condition, UMass Memorial Eye Center is home to the most qualified eye care team in Central Massachusetts. Staffed by board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologists who are highly regarded experts in their fields, they not only care for patients, but also conduct research and teach and train tomorrow’s physicians as faculty of the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

In addition to his clinical activity, Dr. Lin serves as an Associate Professor within the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He previously held faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and the University of Texas.

In regards to his educational background, Dr. Lin studied at McGill University and Weifang Medical University, graduating with his medical degree. He served his residency in ophthalmology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, followed by his clinical fellowship in medical retina at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School.

Wanting to further his training, he performed his research fellowships at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

During his work at McGill University and Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Rudolf Jaenisch, Dr. Lin discovered several genes involving ubiquitin conjugation and deubiquitination, a key mechanism of cellular homeostasis. Moreover, he created de novo DNA methyltransferase gene(Dnmt 3a and 3b) knockout and conditional induction mice, and studied the function of DNA methylation in tumor formation and stem cells. 

Licensed to practice medicine in Massachusetts and South Carolina, he is board-certified in ophthalmology by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO). The ABO is an independent, nonprofit organization responsible for certifying ophthalmologists (eye physicians and surgeons) in the United States.

As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Lin’s Lab primarily focuses on epigenetic mechanisms of disease, gene-editing, and stem cell tissue regeneration, as a treatment approach for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

In order to stay up to date in his field, he remains a member of several professional organizations, including the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine and surgery, which deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. Ophthalmologists are experts in the diseases, functions, and anatomy of the eye. They may provide routine care such as vision testing, as well as prescribe and fit eyeglasses or contact lenses. However, ophthalmologists are also surgeons. They repair traumatic injuries to the eye and perform cataract, glaucoma, and corneal surgery.

Among his numerous awards and honors, Dr. Lin has been the recipient of Excellent Research Award from University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; Pilot Project Award from Cancer Centre of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Fellowship from Canadian Institute of Health Research; Abraham Fellowship from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School; Experimental Mouse Genetics Award from Jackson Laboratory; and Pauline Blidner-Krupp Research Award from Royal Victoria Hospital Institute, Montreal.

On a more personal note, he is fluent in both English and Chinese-Mandarin.

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