Dr. Francesco Romano
Postdoctoral Clinical Research Fellow,
Harvard Retinal Imaging Lab,
Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Former Chief Ophthalmology Resident,
Ospedale Luigi Sacco,
University of Milan
Dr. Francesco Romano (MD FEBO), born in Rossano, Italy, moved to Milan to pursue his medical degree, graduating summa cum laude (110/110) from Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in 2017. He completed his Ophthalmology residency in 2022 at Ospedale Luigi Sacco (University of Milan, Milan, Italy), under the mentorship of Prof. Giovanni Staurenghi and served as chief resident. Prior to relocating to Boston (MA, USA) in early 2023, Dr. Romano practiced as a board-certified retina specialist. He is currently pursuing a postdoctoral clinical research fellowship at Harvard Retinal Imaging Lab (Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School) under the mentorship of Dr. John B Miller.
Dr. Romano’s passion for retina research began during his medical school internship under Prof. Maurizio Battaglia Parodi. In 2017, he expanded his experience by observing at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital (under Prof. Paulo E Stanga) and the Augenklinik in Bonn (under Prof. Frank G Holz).
To date, Francesco has contributed to over 65 publications in leading peer-reviewed journals and serves as a reviewer for several notable publications, including RETINA The Journal of Retinal and Vitreous Diseases, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS), and OSLI Retina among others. His primary interests lie in discovering new imaging biomarkers and validating functional endopoints in age-related macular degeneration and macular dystrophies. Notably, he characterized the natural history and developed the first clinical classification for Extensive macular atrophy with pseudodrusen-like appearance (EMAP) – an increasingly recognized form of macular degeneration causing legal blindness in middle-aged individuals in Southern Europe. His work has been presented at numerous international conferences, and he was awarded with an International Travel Grant from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation in 2022.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Francesco enjoys traveling, playing and watching basketball and soccer, and he was the winner of a regional poetry competition during high school.