Isabelle Brunette

Isabelle Brunette, MD, FRCSC, is Full Professor of Ophthalmology at Université de Montréal and holds the Charles-Albert Poissant Chair in Corneal Transplantation. She directs the Corneal Transplant Research Unit at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and serves as Deputy Director of the Vision Health Research Network (RRSV). A cornea subspecialist, she is internationally recognized for advancing refractive and transplant surgery through tissue engineering and femtosecond laser technologies.

Education & Training

• MD, Université de Montréal
• Specialist Diploma in Ophthalmology, Université de Montréal
• Fellowship – Corneal Endothelium, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
• Fellowship – Corneal Transplantation & Refractive Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta GA

Research Interests

Dr Brunette’s laboratory integrates clinical ophthalmology with biomedical engineering to improve visual outcomes after corneal surgery. Core themes include:
1. Developing biosynthetic and tissue-engineered corneal substitutes to alleviate donor tissue shortage.
2. Characterizing optical quality changes after excimer laser refractive surgery using Hartmann-Shack aberrometry and corneal topography.
3. Investigating endothelial cell therapy and novel drug-delivery strategies for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy.
4. Utilizing femtosecond lasers for precise lamellar cuts and selective gene therapy in ocular tissues.

Scientific Awards & Honours

• Charles-Albert Poissant Chair in Corneal Transplantation
• Fellow, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (2016)
• Senior Clinical Research Fellow, FRQS (2003–2007)
• Personality of the Week, La Presse / Radio-Canada (2005)
• Fellowship scholarships, Mayo Clinic & Emory University (1987–1989)

Grants & Leadership

Dr Brunette has secured >$20 M as principal or co-investigator from CIHR, NSERC, FRQS and Stem Cell Network. She currently leads or co-leads multi-institutional projects on biomimetic corneal implants, endothelial regeneration, and vision health data platforms.

• Principal Investigator: “Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy and corneal transplantation: The traditional paradigm revisited” (CIHR, 2019-2026)
• Co-PI: “Pro-regeneration biomimetic corneal implants with anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activity” (CIHR, 2018-2024)
• Principal Investigator: Vision Health Research Network data bank (FRQS, 2012-ongoing)

Laboratory & Team

The Corneal Transplant Research Unit comprises research staff (Janet Laganière, Valerie Lavastre, Leila Mejdoub, Marilyse Piché, Nadia Prud’homme), graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and clinical collaborators across ophthalmology, physics, and biomedical engineering. The group occupies state-of-the-art facilities at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and CRHMR.