In late 2009, he joined Associate Professor Jodhbir Mehta’s research group at Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), focusing on the biology of human corneal endothelium, and particularly on the growth and expansion of primary human corneal endothelial cells (hCECs) with the aim of developing these cells as a source for tissue-engineered corneal graft alternative. Since joining SERI, Dr Gary Peh has been involved in 30 peer-review articles and 2 book chapters.

His work in the development of a novel dual media approach in the propagation of hCECs has been patented, and has since been refined towards regulatory compliance with promising pre-clinical outcomes. With these results, the research group has recently obtained regulatory approval to conduct a Phase 1 first-in-man clinical trial using the tissue-engineered corneal endothelial graft generated using these hCECs for the treatment of corneal endothelial blindness.

• PhD (2008)
• Grad Dip (2001)
• BSc (2000)

• Junior Principal Investigator, Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute (2017 – Present)
• Senior Research Fellow, Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute (2012 – 2017)
• Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Group, Singapore Eye Research Institute (2009 – 2012)
• Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Human Embryonic Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore (2008 – 2009)

• SERI Outstanding Young Researcher Award (2015)
• ARVO international Travel Grant (2011)
• Australian Stem Cell Centre Small Research Grant (2005)
• Australian Stem Cell Centre Travel / Conference Grant (2004)
• Commonwealth-funded higher degree by research (Research Training Scheme) (2003)

• Cell Biology – Propagation of Primary Human Corneal Endothelial Cells (HCEnCs)
• Tissue-Engineering – Development of Alternative Graft Material using Cultivated HCEnCs
• Stem Cell Biology – Human Embryonic Stem Cells (Early Neural Differentiation)

1. Evolving therapies for Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy. Yu-Qiang Soh, Gary SL Peh, Jodhbir S Mehta. Regen Med. 2018 Jan 23; 13(1):97-115

2. Directed Differentiation of Periocular Mesenchyme from Human Embryonic Stem Cells. Matthew J Lovatt, Gary HF Yam, Gary SL Peh, Alan Colman, Ray N Dunn, Jodhbir S Mehta. Differentiation. 2017 Nov 16; pii: S0301-4681(17)30104-4

3. Corneal Lenticule Storage Conditions for Re-Implantation in Humans. Yu-Chi Liu, Geraint P William, Benjamin L George, Yu-Qiang Soh, Xin-Yi Seah, Gary SL Peh, Gary HF Yam, Jodhbir S Mehta. Mol Vis. 2017 Oct 27; 23:753-764

4. Regulatory Compliant Tissue-Engineered Human Corneal Endothelial Grafts Restore Corneal Function of Rabbits with Bullous Keratopathy. Gary SL Peh, Heng-Pei Ang, Nyein C Lwin, Khadijah Adnan, Benjamin L George, Xin-Yi Seah, Shu-Jun Lin, Maninder Bhogal, Yu-Chi Liu, Donald TH Tan, Jodhbir S Mehta. Sci Rep. 2017 Oct 26; 7(1):14149

5. Real-Time Assessment of Corneal Endothelial Cell Damage Following Graft Preparation and Donor Insertion for DMEK. Maninder Bhogal, Nyein C Lwin, Xin-Yi Seah, Elavazhagan Murugan, Khadijah Adnan, Gary SL Peh, Jodhbir S Mehta. PLoS ONE. 2017 Oct 4; 12(10):e0184824

6. Allogeneic Descement’s Membrane Transplantation Enhances Corneal Endothelial Monolayer Formation and Restores Functional Integrity Following Descemet’s Stripping.  Maninder Bhogal, Nyein C Lwin, Xin-Yi Seah, Gary SL Peh, Jodhbir S Mehta. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2017 Aug 01; 58(10):4249-4260

7. A Rabbit Model Study to Determine the Efficacy of a Prototype Corneal Endothelium Protector during Cataract Surgery. Annabel CY Chew, Anita Chan, Monisha E Nongpiur, Gary SL Peh, Veluchamy A Barathi, Nyein C Lwin, Charles Ong, Shamira Perera. J Ophthalmo. 2017 Mar 29; 2017:6906139

8. Effect of position specific single point mutations and biophysical characterization of amyloidogenic peptide fragments identified from Lattice Corneal Dystrophy patients. Venkatraman Anandalakshmi, Elavazhagan Murugan, Eunice TL Goh, Lim-Wei Ting, Shyam S Chaurasia, Toshio Yamazaki, Toshio Nagashima, Benjamin L George, Gary SL Peh, Konstantin Pervushin, Lakshminarayanan Rajamani, Jodhbir S Mehta. Biochem J. 2017 May 09; 474(10):1705-1725

9. [Corneal cell therapy - an overview] Korneale Zelltherapie – Eine Übersicht. Ophthalmologe. Matthias Fuest, Gary HF Yam, Gary SL Peh, Peter Walter, Niklas Plange, Jodhbir S Mehta. Ophthalmologe. 2017 Feb 15; 114(8):705-715

10. Sequentially-crosslinked bioactive hydrogels as nano-patterned substrates with customizable stiffness and degradation for corneal tissue engineering applications. Rizwan Muhammad, Gary SL Peh, Heng-Pei Ang, Nyein Chan Lwin, Khadijah Adnan, Jodhbir S Mehta, Wui Siew Tan, Evelyn KF Yim. Biomaterials. 2016 Dec 23; 120:139-154

11. In vitro topographical model of Fuchs dystrophy for evaluation of corneal endothelial cell monolayer formation. Rizwan Muhammad, Gary SL Peh, Khadijah Adnan, Sacha L Naso, Alon R Mendez, Jodhbir S Mehta, Evelyn KF Yim. Adv Healthc Mater. 2016 Oct 04; 5(22):2896-2910

12. Advances in corneal cell therapy. Matthias Fuest, Gary HF Yam, Gary SL Peh, Jodhbir S Mehta. Regen Med. 2016 Aug 08; 11(6):601-615

13. Translational issues for human corneal endothelial tissue engineering. Yu-Qiang Soh, Gary SL Peh, Jodhbir S Mehta. J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2016 Apr 25; 11(9):2425-2442

14. pH Induced Conformational Transitions in the Transforming Growth Factor β-Induced Protein (TGFβIp) Associated Corneal Dystrophy Mutants. Elavazhagan Murugan, Anandalakshmi Venkatraman, Zhou Lei, Victoria Mouvet, Rayne RY Lim, Nandhakumar Muruganantham, Eunice Goh, Gary SL Peh, Roger W Beuerman, Shyam S Chaurasia, Lakshminarayanan Rajamani, Jodhbir S Mehta. Sci Rep. 2016 Mar 31; 6:23836

15. Isolation of a recombinant antibody specific for a surface marker of the corneal endothelium by phage display. Simone Dorfmueller, Hwee-Ching Tan, Zi-Xian Ngoh, Kai-Yee Toh, Gary SL Peh, Heng-Pei Ang, Xin-Yi Seah, Angela Chin, Andre Choo, Jodhbir S Mehta, and William Sun. Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 23; 6:21661

16. Predicative Factors for Corneal Endothelial Cell Migration. Yu-Qiang Soh, Gary SL Peh, Benjamin L George, Xin-Yi Seah, Nishal K Primalani, Khadijah Adnan, Jodhbir S Mehta. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2016 Feb; 57(2):338-348

17. Dental stem cells: A future asset of ocular cell therapty. Gary HF Yam, Gary SL Peh, Shweta Singhal, Bee-Tin Goh, Jodhbir S Mehta. Expert Rev Mol Med. 2015 Nov 10; 17:e20

18. Comparison of intra-ocular pressure changes with liquid or flat applanation interfaces in a femtosecond laser platform. Geraint Williams, Heng-Pei Ang, Benjamin L George, Yu-Chi Liu, Luis Izquierdo, Gary SL Peh, Donald TH Tan, Jodhbir S Mehta. Sci Rep. 2015 Oct 06; 5:14742

19. The effects of Rho-associated kinase inhibitor Y-27632 on primary human corneal endothelial cells propagated using a dual media approach. Gary SL Peh, Khadijah Adnan, Benjamin L George, Heng-Pei Ang, Xin-Yi Seah, Donald TH Tan, Jodhbir S Mehta. Sci Rep. 2015 Mar 16; 5:9167

20. Micro- and nano-topography to enhance proliferation and sustain functional markers of donor-derived primary human corneal endothelial cells. Rizwan Muhammad, Gary SL Peh, Khadijah Adnan, Jaslyn BK Law, Jodhbir S Mehta, Evelyn KF Yim. Acta Biomater. 2015 Mar 18; 19:138-148