Asim Ali

Project Investigator
SickKids Research Institute

Following a BA.Sc. Degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Dr. Ali completed his medical degree and residency training in Ophthalmology at the University of Toronto. He then went on to further postgraduate training with separate fellowships in Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus and Cornea and External Disease at Washington University, St. Louis, USA.

Since returning to Canada, his practice and clinical research have focused on glaucoma and cornea/external disease disorders in children, as well as paediatric cataract and other anterior segment abnormalities.  He is a co-developer of the minimally invasive corneal neurotization procedure with sural nerve grafts for the treatment of corneal anesthesia.  At SickKids, Ali is also the Co-Director of the Paediatric Cornea Fellowship. 

Education and experience

• 2019: Advanced Health Leadership Program; Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto, Ontario 
• 1999: Doctor of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario 
• 1995: Bachelor of Applied Science, Honours Co-operative, Electrical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario
• 2008–Present: Staff Ophthalmologist, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
• 2011–Present: Project Investigator, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
• 2016–Present: Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
• 2017–Present: Courtesy Staff, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
• 2018–Present: Ophthalmologist-in-Chief, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 

Achievements

Distinctions and research awards

• 2019: American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award. San Francisco, California
• 2019: Claud Worth Medal. BIPOSA (British & Irish Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Association) 2020 Innovator of the Year Award. Ontario Medical Association and Eye Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
• 2018: Mira Godard Chair in Vision Research, SickKids, Toronto, Ontario

Teaching and education awards 

• 2019: The J.S. Crawford Teaching Award., Dept. of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Univ. of Toronto, Canada.
• 2018: Clive Mortimer Executive Award for Fellowship Teaching, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, Univ. of Toronto, Canada.

1. Catt C, Hamilton G, Fish J, Mireskandari K, and Ali A. Ocular manifestations of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis in children. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 2016 Jun;166:68-75.
2. Catapano J, and Fung SSM, Halliday W, Jobst C, Cheyne D, Ho ES, Zuker RM, Borschel GH and Ali A. Treatment of neurotrophic keratopathy with minimally invasive corneal neurotization: long-term clinical outcomes and evidence of corneal reinnervation. British Journal of Ophthalmology 2019 Dec; 103(12):1724-1731.
3. Elbaz U, Mireskandari K, Tehrani N, Shen C, Khan MS, Williams S, and Ali A. Corneal endothelial cell density in children: normative data from birth to 5 years old. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 2017 Jan;173:134-138.
4. Fung SSM, Jabbour S, Harissi-Dagher M, Tan RRG, Hamel P, Baig K, and Ali A. Visual outcomes and complications of type I Boston keratoprosthesis in children: a retrospective multicenter study and literature review. Ophthalmology. 2018 Feb; 125(2):153-160.
5. Fung SSM, Catapano J, Elbaz U, Zuker RM, Borschel GH, and Ali A. In vivo confocal microscopy reveals corneal reinnervation after treatment of neurotrophic keratopathy with corneal neurotization. Cornea. 2018 Jan; 37(1):109-112.