- TFOS Ambassadors
USA
Kelly Nichols
Dr. Kelly K. Nichols earned her Doctor of Optometry degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1995, completed a residency in Ocular Disease at Omni Eye Specialists of Colorado in 1996, and received her Master of Public Health in Biostatistics in 2000 and PhD in vision science in 2001 from Ohio State University. Dr. Nichols is a Fellow (FAAO) and Diplomate (Public Health and Environmental Vision Section) in the American Academy of Optometry. Dr. Nichols has had faculty roles at the Ohio State University College of Optometry (1996-2011), University of Houston College of Optometry (2011-2014), and University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (2014-current). In 2014, Dr. Nichols was appointed Dean of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Optometry and has served in this role for 11 years. Apart from Dr. Henry Peters, founding Dean, Dr. Nichols has the longest tenure of Dean in the School of Optometry, and is currently the longest sitting Dean at UAB. She was reappointed in 2025 for an additional 5 years.
Dr. Nichols has had a long history of leadership in local, state and national optometry and ophthalmology organizations through boards and committees, including the Ohio Optometric Association, the American Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Association, and the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society. At UAB, along with her role as Co-Director of Ocular Surface Research at the UAB Clinical Eye Research Facility (2014-2024), Dr. Nichols serves or has served on several important UAB committees, such the President’s Strategic Investment Fund Review Committee, the Benefits Committee, the Budget Oversight Committee, the Dean’s Clinical Trials Advisory Group, and she co-chaired the search for the current Provost. She is active in several national organizations, including the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (President in 2022-23) and currently is the Treasurer the boards of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research and Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR/AEVR).
Her research focus is dry eye disease, meibomian gland dysfunction and tear proteomics and lipidomics and is recognized by industry and organizations as a leader, consultant, and key opinion leader in the field. She has contributed extensively to the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS), serving on steering committees for DEWS, DEWS II, Contact Lens Discomfort, and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction (Chair) workshops, and was a member of the global TFOS Lifestyle Epidemic and Ocular Surface Disease, and DEWS III. Dr. Nichols and her research team have participated in numerous clinical trials and research studies supported by NIH NEI and Industry. Since 2014, Dr. Nichols and her research team garnered over $4.6 million dollars in research funding with over 18 grants/ contracts. Prior to 2014, Dr. Nichols was principal investigator of over 35 research projects. Dr. Nichols has reviewed grant applications for the NEI, CDC, DOD and other foundations and organizations. Dean Nichols has worked with a number of industry partners as a consultant, key opinion leader, ad board attendee and speaker since 1999.
Dr. Nichols has over 145 peer-reviewed publications (Scopus h-index: 55, citations: 14,882), over 240 abstracts, over 220 invited continuing education lectures, numerous book chapters and podcasts, editorial roles across six journals, and has reviewed for at least 25 additional journals. She has been in an editorial role for the eNewsletter
Ocular Surface News since 2011 with over 135 issues. Dr. Nichols has been recognized with numerous honors including the Fry Medal in Physiological Optics, TFOS Lifetime Achievement Award, Donald R. Korb Award, Frank Fontana Career Achievement Award, as well as being named Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice.
