About Janey Wiggs, MD, PhD
Dr. Janey Wiggs is a clinician scientist specializing in the genetics of glaucoma with particular interest in complex and advanced glaucoma, and inherited ocular disorders. She directs the CLIA-certified clinical diagnostic laboratory where patients are tested for mutations in genes that can cause inherited retinal disorders, early-onset glaucoma or primary optic neuropathy. She also is the Associate Director of the Howe Laboratory and Associate Chief for Clinical Research at Mass. Eye and Ear. Among her leadership roles in the Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology, she serves as Vice Chair for Clinical Research, Co-Director of the Glaucoma Center of Excellence, and leader of the Genetic Diagnostics Section of the Ocular Genomics Institute.
Dr. Wiggs attended Harvard Medical School (HMS), and completed her residency in the HMS Department of Ophthalmology Residency Training Program. She then completed fellowships in Glaucoma and Medical Genetics at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Tufts University School of Medicine, respectively. She is board-certified in both Ophthalmology and Medical Genetics.
Using a uniquely collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, Dr. Wiggs aims to identify genetic factors that underlie various forms of glaucoma, including adult onset primary open angle glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, juvenile open angle glaucoma, and others. Her research, which has been continuously funded by the National Eye Institute for over 20 years, has provided critical information regarding the biology of the disease. Ongoing studies may greatly improve current methods of diagnosis, and lead to more effective and specific therapies.
Locations
Mass Eye and Ear
243 Charles St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-523-7900
Medical Education
- MD, Harvard Medical School*
- Residency, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Residency, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
- Fellowship, Massachusetts Eye and Ear
- Fellowship, TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER
American Board Certifications
- Clinical Molecular Genetics and Genomics, American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics
- Ophthalmology, American Board of Ophthalmology
Research
Dr. Wiggs is Associate Chief of Ophthalmology Clinical Research and Associate Director of the Howe Laboraotry at Mass. Eye and Ear, as well as Vice Chair of Clinical Research at Harvard Medical School. She also serves as Associate Director of the Harvard Ophthalmoogy Glaucoma Center of Excellence and Ocular Genomics Institute.
Dr. Wiggs studies genetic risk factors for various types of glaucoma. She is the principal investigator of the NIH funded NEIGHBORHOOD consortium as well as an NIH-funded study to identify genetic and environmental risk factors for exfoliation syndrome and exfoliation glaucoma. She recently was awarded an NIH grant to study genetic risk factors associated with loss of central vision in glaucoma. Other ongoing studies in the laboratory includethe identification of genes contributing to early-onset forms of glaucoma (congenital, juvenile and developmental glaucoma) as well as pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma and the identification of genes that contribute to ocular quantitative traits using a cohort of consanguineous families from India
Publications
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1. Gaier ED, Sahai I, Wiggs JL, McGeeney B, Hoffman J, Peeler CE. Novel homozygous OPA3 mutation in an Afghani family with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type III and optic atrophy. Ophthalmic Genet. 2019 Dec; 40(6):570-573.
2. Gauthier AC, Wiggs JL. Childhood glaucoma genes and phenotypes: Focus on FOXC1 mutations causing anterior segment dysgenesis and hearing loss. Exp Eye Res. 2020 Jan; 190:107893.
3. Bonnemaijer PWM, Leeuwen EMV, Iglesias AI, Gharahkhani P, Vitart V, Khawaja AP, Simcoe M, Höhn R, Cree AJ, Igo RP, Gerhold-Ay A, Nickels S, Wilson JF, Hayward C, Boutin TS, Polašek O, Aung T, Khor CC, Amin N, Lotery AJ, Wiggs JL, Cheng CY, Hysi PG, Hammond CJ, Thiadens AAHJ, MacGregor S, Klaver CCW, Duijn CMV. Multi-trait genome-wide association study identifies new loci associated with optic disc parameters. Commun Biol. 2019 Nov 27; 2(1):435.
4. Bonnemaijer PWM, Leeuwen EMV, Iglesias AI, Gharahkhani P, Vitart V, Khawaja AP, Simcoe M, Höhn R, Cree AJ, Igo RP, Gerhold-Ay A, Nickels S, Wilson JF, Hayward C, Boutin TS, Polašek O, Aung T, Khor CC, Amin N, Lotery AJ, Wiggs JL, Cheng CY, Hysi PG, Hammond CJ, Thiadens AAHJ, MacGregor S, Klaver CCW, Duijn CMV. Multi-trait genome-wide association study identifies new loci associated with optic disc parameters. Commun Biol. 2019; 2:435.