Sarah B. Sunshine

Sarah B. Sunshine, MD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in Baltimore. She holds an additional appointment as a Member of the Program in Oncology and practices clinically at the University of Maryland Medical Center and its Midtown Campus through UM Faculty Physicians, Inc. Her clinical expertise centers on complex corneal and ocular surface diseases with specialization in oncologic complications, particularly ocular Graft vs Host Disease (GVHD).

Dr. Sunshine's educational background includes:

• BS in Biology from Brandeis University (2008)
• MD from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (2014)
• Internal Medicine Internship at Medstar Union Memorial/Good Samaritan Hospital (2015)
• Post Doctoral Research Fellowship at National Eye Institute – NIH (2016)
• Ophthalmology Residency at Northwestern University – Feinberg School of Medicine (2019)
• Cornea Fellowship at University of Illinois- Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary (2020)

Her research program focuses on the immunopathogenesis of ocular GVHD, with emphasis on Granzyme B mechanisms, JAK-STAT pathways, and novel therapeutics including mesenchymal stromal cells. She established a dedicated ocular GVHD bio-bank and utilizes murine models to investigate systemic-immunological correlations. Current work bridges corneal transplantation techniques with immunomodulatory approaches for dry eye and surface disease.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals dominant themes in ocular GVHD biomarker discovery, therapeutic interventions (JAK inhibitors, axatilimab), and complications of oncologic therapies. Her work integrates clinical observations with translational models, particularly examining cytokine dynamics in tears and corneal changes induced by novel myeloma treatments. She maintains strong focus on surgical innovations in corneal transplantation alongside immunological investigations.

Dr. Sunshine's scientific recognition includes:

• ARVO Travel Grant Recipient (2020)
• Chief Resident in Ophthalmology, Northwestern University (2019)
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute - Foundation Fighting Blindness Fellowship (2012)
• Andrus Fellowship at Harvard Medical School Children's Hospital Boston (2006-2008)

She actively mentors ophthalmology residents and medical students while developing translational research partnerships with the Program in Oncology. Her current grants support murine model development for GVHD mechanisms and clinical trials evaluating cellular therapies for corneal surface disease. The research team maintains close collaboration with hematologists managing post-transplant complications.

Dr. Sunshine leads a translational research laboratory within UMSOM's Department of Ophthalmology that integrates clinical data collection through the ocular GVHD bio-bank with bench investigations of immunological pathways. Her team collaborates extensively with the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center to address ocular complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation.