- TFOS Ambassadors
Australia
Maria Markoulli
Dr Maria Markoulli is an Associate Professor in the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. An optometrist and academic with a PhD in Optometry, she has established herself as a leading researcher in ocular surface disease, contact lens-related complications, and the use of the eye as a window into systemic health. Her career brings together excellence in teaching, leadership, and internationally recognised research on diabetes, chemotherapy, chronic kidney disease, and other systemic conditions that affect the eye.
After graduating with First Class Honours in Optometry from UNSW, Dr Markoulli completed a Master of Optometry and a Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics, followed by her PhD in 2012. Her doctoral work investigated the role of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in contact lens-related corneal erosions. Since then, her research has expanded to focus on the molecular composition of the tear film and corneal nerve changes as non-invasive biomarkers of systemic disease progression and treatment response. She has published widely in leading journals such as The Ocular Surface, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Clinical and Experimental Optometry, and Optometry and Vision Science, with an h-index of 23.
Dr Markoulli has held continuous academic appointments at UNSW since 2012, progressing from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer, and now Associate Professor. She has served as Director of Learning and Teaching (2022–present) and as Postgraduate Coordinator (2017–2022), demonstrating her commitment to education and mentorship. She has supervised numerous PhD, Masters, and Honours students, earning recognition through the UNSW Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Higher Degree Research Leadership (2021) and multiple postgraduate supervisor awards. She is known for her inclusive and inspiring supervision style, further evidenced by awards for Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity, and recognition as a UNSW Women in Maths and Science Champion.
Her research has been consistently supported by national and international funding bodies, including Alcon, the American Academy of Optometry, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the Australian Government. She has secured more than $1 million in competitive grants and infrastructure funding, enabling the establishment of advanced ocular imaging and microbiome research facilities. Key projects include the development of tear-based biomarkers for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, studies on chemotherapy-induced ocular changes, and investigations into nutrition, probiotics, and pharmacological interventions for dry eye disease. Her work has gained wide media attention, including interviews with ABC Radio National and coverage in international optometry publications.
Dr Markoulli plays an active role in the global vision science community. She is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Optometry and the British Contact Lens Association, a councillor for the International Society of Contact Lens Researchers, and an ambassador for the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS). She has contributed to landmark international consensus reports, including the TFOS Dry Eye Workshops (II and III) and the BCLA CLEAR reports on astigmatism and presbyopia, shaping clinical and research directions worldwide. She also serves on editorial boards for The Ocular Surface and Clinical and Experimental Optometry, and has been Deputy Editor of the latter since 2017.
Her professional service extends to accreditation panels for optometry programs across Australia and internationally, grant reviewing for the NHMRC, the Wellcome Trust, and the Canadian NSERC, and mentoring through the ARVO Foundation’s Developing Country Eye Research Fellowship. She has acted as a scientific consultant for the Brien Holden Vision Institute and as a thesis examiner for universities in Australia and New Zealand.
Dr Markoulli has been widely recognised for her contributions to research, teaching, and professional leadership. She received the 2023 Korb-Exford Award from the American Academy of Optometry, the UNSW Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence (2017), and the Faculty of Science Staff Excellence Award (2015). Earlier in her career she was awarded two William C. Ezell Fellowships from the American Optometric Foundation and was selected to represent Australia at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in 2014. Her awards span teaching, mentorship, and research, underscoring her well-rounded impact on the field.
She is also a sought-after keynote and invited speaker, having presented across Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia on topics including dry eye disease, ocular biomarkers, and systemic disease. Her ability to bridge clinical practice, laboratory science, and systemic health has positioned her as a thought leader in her discipline.
Throughout her career, Dr Markoulli has combined academic responsibilities with clinical practice, having worked as a locum optometrist across Australia and with the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern, Sydney. This clinical foundation ensures her research and teaching remain grounded in real-world patient needs. She continues to mentor emerging clinicians and researchers, fostering the next generation of optometry leaders.
