Giuliano Scarcelli

Scarcelli is co-inventor and co-developer of Brillouin imaging. A recent prototype clinical instrument based on the technology was developed to collect in vivo human data from the cornea, demonstrating Brillouin microscopy as a viable and effective ophthalmic tool, able to discriminate keratoconus from normal corneas, and able to detect the stiffening effect of collagen crosslinking. “Our new imaging modality maps the stiffness of ocular tissue without having to touch it,” explains Scarcelli. His articles have been cited over a thousand times, and he has received several awards, including the Human Frontier Science Program Young Investigator Award, the NIH Quantitative Career Award, and the Harvard University “Teaching Excellence” award. “Ten years from now I hope every hospital and eye center will have a Brillouin scanner to test corneal stiffness,” says Scarcelli.

A nominator said: “Measuring Brillouin scattering in cross-sectional maps of the cornea and crystalline lens to acquire stiffness maps is important for diagnosing keratoconus, and also the study of crystalline lens aging, and Scarcelli’s in vivo system has the potential to enter the clinical praxis.”

Part of the Power List 2015

In 2014, we compiled a list of the Top 100 most influential people in ophthalmology – an endeavor that received a significant amount of attention and, it’s fair to say, caused more than a little controversy. For our 2015 Top 40 Under 40 list we’ve taken a different approach, asking: who are the young, up-and-coming individuals set to rise to the top of their field? That’s the question we posed to ourselves – and then to you – ahead of open nominations and a painstaking judging process. Our list this year almost halves the average age of the celebrated individuals, with many of them born in the same year as the iconic Sex Pistols cover – 1977. Though we admit that no list of this type can be definitive, it does clearly show that the future of ophthalmology is very bright indeed. And so, without further ado, we celebrate the movers and shakers aged 40 or under who show what can be achieved with determination, passion and inspiration.

Go to The Power List 2015