Dr Jack Phu
- Bachelor of Optometry (Honours 1st Class)/Bachelor of Science (University of New South Wales, 2011)
- Master of Public Health (University of Sydney, 2014)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Vision Science). Thesis entitled: "Psychophysical aspects of clinical perimetry: studies in ageing and disease" (University of New South Wales, 2018)
I am a clinician-scientist, and my roles within the institute encompass clinical, research and teaching activities. My clinical activities are focussed almost exclusively on the care of patients with glaucoma. My research supports the delivery of clinical service with three primary arms: 1) basic science (clinical psychophysics and statistical analytical techniques), 2) clinical research (development and application of novel test paradigms in patients to compare against current clinically available tools), and 3) health care pathways (development and assessment of new modalities of eye health care delivery to optimise patient care). The emphasis of my research is clinically applicable work, with the aim of directly impacting patient care.
Research Groups
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
- NHMRC Ideas Grant 2010919 (CIE) $379k 2022-2024
- NHMRC Ideas Grant 1186915 (CIB) $476k 2020-2022
- Research Infrastructure Scheme Grant(University of New South Wales) $55k 2018
- American Academy of Optometry Travel Grant (American Academy of Optometry) $750 2016
- Imaging and Perimetry Society Travel Grant (Imaging and Perimetry Society) $1k 2016
- Optometric Glaucoma Society Ezell Fellowship (Optometric Glaucoma Society and American Optometric Foundation) $7.5k 2016
- ARVO International Travel Grant (Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology) $750 2016
- Brian Kirby Prize for best doctoral thesis (School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales) 2019
- Dean of Science Excellence in Research (ECR Level) (Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales) 2018
- Teaching Fellowship (School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales) 2017
- Australian Postgraduate Award PhD Scholarship (Australian Government) 2007-2011
- Australian College of Optometry Most Outstanding Graduate Award(School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales) 2011
- Faculty of Science Summer Vacation Research Scholarship (Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales) 2009
My research program is focussed on understanding the structural and functional effects of the ageing and diseasedvisual system. This research aims to devise new methods for understanding the effects of diseases of the visual pathway at various stages in order to optimise health care and appropriate interventions for patients, thereby preventing or reducing the impact of vision loss. My research is divided into three main areas:
1) Basic science and psychophysics: devising and testing a variety of visual functions in a laboratory-based setting to understand how visual functions are altered under conditions of ageing and disease
2)Clinical science and statistical methods: measurement of structural and functionaleffects of diseases of the visual system using clinically available instrumentation and analysing them using a variety of statistical methods
3) Health care pathways: development and evaluation of new models of providing eye health care to patients within the general community
These three areas of research work synergistically. The first arm of research in basic science develops the fundamental principles that underpin the construction of new clinical tests and analytical methods. These principles are applied into real world clinical patients in the second arm of research, as novel testing and analytical paradigms are assessed against current clinically available methods and metrics. Research participants for both basic and clinical science arms are typically recruited from the Centre for Eye Health at the University of New South Wales. The third arm of research is the implementation of the new test paradigms within nascent health care pathways.
My publication list:
I have also served as a reviewer for the following peer-reviewed journals:
- Ophthalmology
- Journal of Glaucoma
- European Journal of Ophthalmology
- Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics
- Optometry and Vision Science
- Translational Vision Science and Technology
- Clinical and Experimental Optometry
- PLoS ONE
- Scientific Reports
- Journal of Vision
Current professional memberships and service positions
- Diplomate (Glaucoma Section), American Academy of Optometry
- Committee Member, American Academy of Optometry Fellowship Admittance Committee 5B
- Fellow, American Academy of Optometry
- Member, Glaucoma Special Interest Group (American Academy of Optometry)
- Member, Optometry Association of Australia
- Member, Imaging and Perimetry Society
- Member, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Prior professional memberships and service positions
- Member (inaugural), Early Career Optometrists NSW/ACT
- Chair, Early Career Optometrists NSW/ACT Scope of Practice Subcommittee
- Member, Optometry Australia Glaucoma Clinical Practice Guide Development Committee
- Member (founding), Young Optometrists NSW/ACT
My Research Supervision
Currently supervising
- Five 5th year research projects
- One PhD by research
- Ms Nahida Akter, School of Optometry and Vision Science
My Teaching
Ocular diseases
Ocular therapeutics
Clinical optometry
Visual neuroscience