Maryam Tahvildari, MD
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Biography
Dr. Maryam Tahvildari received her medical degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences following which she moved to the United Stated to join Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral fellow. At Schepens, Dr. Tahvildari studied the immunobiology of corneal transplantation under the mentorship of Dr. Reza Dana, MD, MPH, MSC and published 10 peer reviewed articles, presented at multiple national and international conferences and was awarded travel grants from the National Eye Institute and the Tear Film Ocular Surface Society. She then moved on to pursue Ophthalmology Residency at the Kresge Eye Institute (KEI) in Detroit, MI. During residency, Dr. Tahvildari pursued her research interests focusing on the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune uveitis. She received David Barsky, MD Research Award at the Kresge Eye Institute Annual Clinical Conference for two years in a row. She was also awarded Kresge Eye Institute Lawrence Stocker, M.D. Award, recognizing the most compassionate resident physician. Having found her deep interests in cornea and anterior segment pathologies and surgeries, Dr. Tahvildari then completed a cornea and refractive surgery fellowship at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, where she also served as the Chief fellow. She was then recruited to KEI and Wayne State University as a clinical-scholar and attended as faculty at Kresge for two years before relocating to the Northeast with family. During her time as faculty, Dr. Tahvildari served the population of Detroit metropolitan area; she also enjoyed teaching and mentoring ophthalmology residents and started multiple lines of research including studying the role of the regulatory immune system in ocular surface homeostasis and corneal epithelial healing, molecular diagnosis of infectious keratitis, and investigating new treatment strategies for preservation of corneal endothelium. She will be joining Yale School of Medicine Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences as faculty. Her passion is to provide highest quality care for patients while teaching residents and pursuing her research interests.
Appointments
Ophthalmology
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
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- Ophthalmology
- Yale Medicine
- Yale New Haven Health System
Education & Training
- Fellowship
- Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary (2021)
- Residency
- Wayne State University (2020)
- Internship
- Griffin Hospital (2017)
- Fellowship
- Schepens Retina Associates (2016)
- Fellowship
- Tehran University of Medical Sciences (2012)
- MD
- Tehran University of Medical Sciences (2010)
Research
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Research at a Glance
Publications Timeline
Publications
2024
Foxp3+ regulatory T cells reside within the corneal epithelium and co-localize with limbal stem cells
Tahvildari M, Me R, Setia M, Gao N, Suvas P, McClellan S, Suvas S. Foxp3+ regulatory T cells reside within the corneal epithelium and co-localize with limbal stem cells. Experimental Eye Research 2024, 249: 110123. PMID: 39396695, PMCID: PMC11622170, DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2024.110123.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsLimbal stem cellsRegulatory T cellsResident TregsT cellsFoxp3+ regulatory T cellsLimbal stem cell functionMouse modelCorneal epithelial wound healingModel of mechanical injuryStem cellsDepletion of TregsCell functionEpithelial wound healingEpithelial cell functionWound healingStem cell functionMechanical injuryAnti-CD25Epithelial healingSubconjunctival injectionCorneal epitheliumCorneal stromaTregsCornealCornea
2022
Amplified Natural Killer Cell Activity and Attenuated Regulatory T-cell Function Are Determinants for Corneal Alloimmunity in Very Young Mice
Nakao T, Inomata T, Blanco T, Musayeva A, Tahvildari M, Amouzegar A, Yin J, Chauhan S, Chen Y, Dana R. Amplified Natural Killer Cell Activity and Attenuated Regulatory T-cell Function Are Determinants for Corneal Alloimmunity in Very Young Mice. Transplantation 2022, 107: 1302-1310. PMID: 36584368, PMCID: PMC10205651, DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000004424.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsNK cell depletionAllograft survivalNatural killerNK cellsGraft survivalYounger recipientsRejection of corneal allograftsSuppressing NK cell responsesSuppressive function of TregsCell depletionActivity of NK cellsIn vitro suppression assaySecretion of interferon-gammaRegulatory T cell functionFlow cytometryNatural killer cell activityAllogeneic corneal transplantationCorneal allograft survivalCorneal transplant outcomesYoung graft recipientsFrequency of TregsNK cell responsesRegulatory T cellsFunction of TregsActivated natural killer
2021
Scleral Perforation Secondary to Cyclophotocoagulation
Bal S, Tahvildari M, Jurkunas U. Scleral Perforation Secondary to Cyclophotocoagulation. Ophthalmology 2021, 128: 662. PMID: 33892901, DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2020.11.013.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricApplication of Artificial Intelligence in the Diagnosis and Management of Corneal Diseases
Tahvildari M, Singh R, Saeed H. Application of Artificial Intelligence in the Diagnosis and Management of Corneal Diseases. Seminars In Ophthalmology 2021, 36: 641-648. PMID: 33689543, DOI: 10.1080/08820538.2021.1893763.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and Concepts
2019
Low-Dose IL-2 Therapy in Transplantation, Autoimmunity, and Inflammatory Diseases.
Tahvildari M, Dana R. Low-Dose IL-2 Therapy in Transplantation, Autoimmunity, and Inflammatory Diseases. The Journal Of Immunology 2019, 203: 2749-2755. PMID: 31740549, PMCID: PMC6986328, DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1900733.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsLow-dose IL-2 therapyLow-dose IL-2IL-2 therapyIL-2Administration of low-dose IL-2Low-dose IL-2 regimensLow-dose IL-2 treatmentGraft-versus-host diseaseInflammatory conditionsProduction of immunoregulatory cytokinesCombination of IL-2Receptors to IL-2IL-2 regimensIL-2 treatmentTreg suppressive functionRegulatory T cellsMaintenance of immune homeostasisSystemic lupus erythematosusType 1 diabetesCorneal allograftsTreg frequencyFoxp3 expressionAllograft rejectionLow-doseT cellsLocal Delivery of Regulatory T Cells Promotes Corneal Allograft Survival
Shao C, Chen Y, Nakao T, Amouzegar A, Yin J, Tahvildari M, Lužnik Z, Chauhan S, Dana R. Local Delivery of Regulatory T Cells Promotes Corneal Allograft Survival. Transplantation 2019, 103: 182-190. PMID: 30247445, PMCID: PMC6309927, DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000002442.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAdoptive TransferAllograftsAnimalsAntigen-Presenting CellsChemotaxis, LeukocyteCorneaCorneal TransplantationCytokinesGraft SurvivalGreen Fluorescent ProteinsKineticsLymph NodesLymphocyte ActivationMaleMice, Inbred BALB CMice, Inbred C57BLMice, TransgenicT-Lymphocytes, RegulatoryTh1 CellsConceptsDraining Lymph NodesTreg cellsAntigen-presenting cellsAllograft survivalIL-10Mature antigen-presenting cellsLong-term allograft survivalCorneal allograft recipientsCorneal allograft survivalTGF-bExpression of IFN-gCell-based immunotherapyLevels of IL-10Conventional T cellsPromote transplant survivalGFP transgenic miceCell-based modalitiesExpression of IFNGHost immune responseSuppress host immune responsesEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assayIpsilateral corneaTh1 frequencyReverse transcription polymerase chain reactionCorneal transplantation
2018
Regulatory T Cell Modulation of Cytokine and Cellular Networks in Corneal Graft Rejection
Tahvildari M, Inomata T, Amouzegar A, Dana R. Regulatory T Cell Modulation of Cytokine and Cellular Networks in Corneal Graft Rejection. Current Ophthalmology Reports 2018, 6: 266-274. PMID: 31807370, PMCID: PMC6894425, DOI: 10.1007/s40135-018-0191-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsCorneal transplantationAllograft survivalGraft rejectionT cellsActivation of effector T cellsIncreased risk of graft rejectionPromote corneal allograft survivalRegulatory T-cell modulationInduction of immune toleranceRisk of graft rejectionTherapeutic approachesCorneal allograft survivalExpansion of TregsCorneal graft rejectionEffector T cellsRegulatory T cellsPromote transplant survivalAdaptive immune responsesHigh-risk allograftsModulation of cytokinesHost bedTargeting TregsImmune toleranceGraft survivalTregsTherapeutic approaches for induction of tolerance and immune quiescence in corneal allotransplantation
Tahvildari M, Amouzegar A, Foulsham W, Dana R. Therapeutic approaches for induction of tolerance and immune quiescence in corneal allotransplantation. Cellular And Molecular Life Sciences 2018, 75: 1509-1520. PMID: 29307015, PMCID: PMC5899040, DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2739-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsTherapeutic approachesCorneal transplant survivalRegulatory T cellsLow-risk recipientsHigh-risk graftsAntigen presenting cellsInduction of toleranceReview therapeutic approachesCorneal allotransplantationCorneal graftsCorneal lymphangiogenesisPresenting cellsT cellsImmune quiescenceMesenchymal stem cellsTherapeutic strategiesCornealTransplant survivalTransplanted tissueStem cellsMolecular pathwaysSuccess rateGraftHemangiogenesisCells
2017
Treatment of donor corneal tissue with immunomodulatory cytokines: a novel strategy to promote graft survival in high-risk corneal transplantation
Tahvildari M, Emami-Naeini P, Omoto M, Mashaghi A, Chauhan S, Dana R. Treatment of donor corneal tissue with immunomodulatory cytokines: a novel strategy to promote graft survival in high-risk corneal transplantation. Scientific Reports 2017, 7: 971. PMID: 28428556, PMCID: PMC5430534, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01065-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAntigen-presenting cellsHigh-risk corneal transplantationCorneal transplantationDonor corneasGraft survivalT cellsMouse model of corneal transplantationTissue-resident antigen-presenting cellsModel of corneal transplantationTolerogenic antigen-presenting cellsGraft bedImmature antigen-presenting cellsMigrate to lymphoid tissuesCorneal allograft recipientsCorneal allograft survivalDonor corneal stromaInflamed graft bedsDonor corneal tissueTransforming growth factor-b1Effector T cellsCD4+ cellsHost T cellsPromote graft survivalSaline-injected controlsGraft infiltrationProangiogenic Function of T Cells in Corneal Transplantation
Di Zazzo A, Tahvildari M, Subbarayal B, Yin J, Dohlman T, Inomata T, Mashaghi A, Chauhan S, Dana R. Proangiogenic Function of T Cells in Corneal Transplantation. Transplantation 2017, 101: 778-785. PMID: 27490416, PMCID: PMC5290298, DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000001390.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAnimalsCD4-Positive T-LymphocytesCell LineCell ProliferationCoculture TechniquesCorneaCorneal NeovascularizationCorneal TransplantationDisease Models, AnimalEndothelial CellsInterferon-gammaMaleMice, Inbred BALB CMice, Inbred C57BLNeovascularization, PathologicSignal TransductionTransplantation, HomologousTransplantation, IsogeneicVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AVascular Endothelial Growth Factor CVascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2ConceptsVascular endothelial cellsAllogeneic T cellsDraining Lymph NodesVEGF-A protein expressionT cellsVEGF-AVEGF-R2High riskLymph nodesProtein expressionVEC proliferationT cell-mediated allograft rejectionConventional effector T cellsExpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-ALow riskFunction of T cellsVascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-AEffector T cellsCD4 T cellsMessenger RNAVascular endothelial growth factor AVEGF-R2 mRNA expressionEndothelial growth factor ABlocking VEGF-AVEGF receptor 2
Clinical Care
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Overview
Maryam Tahvildari, MD, is an ophthalmologist who specializes in corneal and anterior segment pathologies. She focuses on diagnosing and treating conditions such as corneal diseases and autoimmune uveitis (inflammation inside the eye caused by the immune system), providing care through advanced surgical techniques and procedures.
“I and my team are dedicated to providing the best possible care to our patients. We are always here for them,” Dr. Tavhildari says. Her happiest moments are “witnessing my patients’ joy and satisfaction when they experience improvement in their vision and their lives as a result of the care we were able to provide.”
As an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Tahvildari studies how the immune system supports eye surface health and develops new approaches to improve corneal healing and treat infectious keratitis. Her goal is to strengthen treatments that protect and preserve the corneal endothelium (the layer of cells on the cornea that allows moisture to enter the eye).
She became interested in ophthalmology after a rotation in medical school where “I experienced visualizing the beautiful and tiny structures in the eye, learned more about the physiology of the visual pathway, the microsurgeries performed in the eye and what an ophthalmologist can do to improve patients' lives.”
Dr. Tahvildari received her medical degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. She completed her ophthalmology residency at Kresge Eye Institute, followed by a fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School.
Clinical Specialties
Board Certifications
Ophthalmology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Ophthalmology
- Original Certification Date
- 2022
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