Prof. Barbara Pierscionek

School/Department: Faculty Wide

Position: Associate Dean – Research and Enterprise

Biography

Barbara Krystyna Pierscionek qualified with clinical and scientific degrees (PhD in protein chemistry and optics) from the University of Melbourne in Australia and obtained an MBA and legal qualifications in the UK including the theoretical degree required for practice as a solicitor in England and Wales as well as a Masters degree in Law (LLM). Her scientific expertise is in the area of eye and vision research. 

 

After post doctoral appointments at the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne and subsequently the National Vision Research Institute, Barbara became the youngest recipient of the WDWright NHMRC fellowship and established an innovative program in eye research supported by NHMRC grants at La Trobe University (Engineering School) and Monash University (Department of Medicine). Returning to UK in 1998 she worked at the University of Bradford as Senior Lecturer and then Senior Research Fellow in Biomedical Sciences before moving to the University of Ulster to take up a Chair in Vision Sciences. Barbara successfully led the Vision Science group and diversified the research program to incorporate a range of project including disciplines of proteomics, optics, biomechanics, nanotechnology, image processing, psychology and ethics. 

 

Barbara is currently working at Kingston University as the Associate Dean of Research and Enterprise in the Faculty Science, Engineering and Computing. She manages a diverse research and enterprise portfolio and conducts a program of research in vision science with colleagues from across the faculty. Legal and ethical issues continue to be active interests: she is a scientific advisor for the Safer Medicines Trust and a member of the Employment Tribunals (South London). 

 

Barbara’s research has been supported by the NHMRC, EPSRC, industry funding (Essilor International), charities (RNIB, Ulster Foundation, Fight for Sight), Royal Society, British Council, DEL(NI), CARA and the Institute of International Education.

Other Professional Activity

Editorial Board Membership

Journal of Biomedical Optics- Editorial Board Member 

Current Analytical Chemistry- Editorial Board Member 

The Open Optics Journal – Editorial Board Member 

BMC Research Notes- Associate Editor for sections Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Cell Biology, Medical Ethics, Medical Imaging, Medical Physics, Ophthalmology, Physiology 

Journal of Integrated Omics – Associate Editor 

Reviews in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology- Associate Editor 

Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing.

Penrhyn Road

Kingston upon Thames

Surrey KT1 2EE

Tel: +44 (0)20 8417 2492

 

-Publications

Jump to: Article | Book | Book Section | Conference or Workshop Item

Number of items: 54.

Article

Giovanzana, S., Schachar, R.A., Talu, S., Kirby, R.D., Yan, E. and Pierscionek, B. (2013) Evaluation of equations for describing the human crystalline lens.Journal of Modern Optics , 60(5), pp. 406-413. ISSN (print) 0950-0340 

Rankin, D.M., Scotney, B.W., Morrow, P.J. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2013) Iris recognition: the need to recognise the iris as a dynamic biological system: Response to Daugman and Downing.Pattern Recognition, 46(2), pp. 611-612. ISSN (print) 0031-3203 

McGlade, D., McClenahan, C. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2012) Attitudes underlying corneal donation in a group of trainee allied health professionals.PLoS ONE, 7(12), e53538. ISSN (online) 1932-6203 

Krzyzanowska-Berkowska, Patrycja, Asejczyk-Widlicka, Magdalena and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2012) Intraocular pressure in a cohort of healthy Eastern European schoolchildren: variations in method and corneal thickness.BMC Ophthalmology, 12(61), ISSN (online) 1471-2415 

Pierscionek, Barbara K. and Regini, Justyn W. (2012) The gradient index lens of the eye: an opto-biological synchrony.Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, 31(4), pp. 332-349. ISSN (print) 1350-9462 

Dusek, W.A., Pierscionek, B.K. and McClelland, J.F. (2012) Age variations in intraocular pressure in a cohort of healthy Austrian school children.Eye, 26(6), pp. 841-845. ISSN (print) 0950-222X 

Keenan , Jonathan, Manning, Gwen, Elia, Giuliano, Dunn, Michael J., Orr, David F. and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2012) Crystallin distribution patterns in ‘Litoria infrafrenata’ and ‘Phyllomedusa sauvagei’ lenses.Proteomics, 12(11), pp. 1830-1843. ISSN (print) 1615-9853 

Pierscionek, Barbara K., Li, Yuebin, Schachar, Ronald A. and Chen, Wei (2012) The effect of high concentration and exposure duration of nanoceria on Human Lens Epithelial Cells.Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 8(3), pp. 383-390. ISSN (print) 1549-9634 

Rankin, D.M., Scotney, B.W., Morrow, P.J. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2012) Iris recognition failure over time: the effects of texture.Pattern Recognition, 45(1), pp. 145-150. ISSN (print) 0031-3203 

Archibald, Katherine, Baxter, Anthony, BeruBe, Kelly, Bunton, David, Clotworthy, Margaret, Coleman, Robert, Foster, Christopher, Hillier, Chris, MacFarlane, Morag, Patel, Anup, Pierscionek, Barbara, Root, James, Thomas, Gerry, Tsaioun, Katya, Wilkinson, Malcolm, Wilmut, Ian and Wright, Karen (2011) Correspondence: Safety of medicine and the use of animals in research.The Lancet, 378(9802), e2. ISSN (print) 0140-6736 

McGlade, Donal, Rae, Gordon, McClenahan, Carol and Pierscionek, Barbara (2011) Regional and temporal variations in organ donation across the UK (secondary analyses of databases).BMJ Open, 1(2), e000055. ISSN (online) 2044-6055 

Hoshino, Masato, Uesugi, Kentaro, Yagi, Naoto, Mohri, Satoshi, Regini, Justyn and Pierscionek, Barbara (2011) Optical properties of in situ eye lenses measured with X-Ray talbot interferometry: A novel measure of growth processes.PLoS ONE, 6(9), e25140. ISSN (online) 1932-6203 

Dusek, Wolfgang A., Pierscionek, Barbara K. and McClelland, Julie F. (2011) An evaluation of clinical treatment of convergence insufficiency for children with reading difficulties.BMC Ophthalmology, 11(21), ISSN (online) 1471-2415 

Asejczyk-Widlicka, M., Srodka, W., Schachar, R.A. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2011) Material properties of the cornea and sclera: a modelling approach to test experimental analysis.Journal of Biomechanics, 44(3), pp. 543-546. ISSN (print) 0021-9290 

Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2011) The current limitations on tissue banking from an academic perspective.Cell and Tissue Banking, 12(1), pp. 23-24. ISSN (print) 1389-9333 

D’Sa, Raechelle A., Dickinson, Peter J., Raj, Jog, Pierscionek, Barbara K. and Meenan, Brian J. (2011) Inhibition of lens epithelial cell growth via immobilisation of hyaluronic acid on atmospheric pressure plasma modified polystyrene.Soft Matter, 7(2), pp. 608-617. ISSN (print) 1744-683X 

Rankin, Deborah M., Scotney, Bryan W., Morrow, Philip J., McDowell, Douglas R. and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2010) Dynamic iris biometry: a technique for enhanced identification.BMC Research Notes, 3(182), ISSN (online) 1756-0500 

Dusek, Wolfgang, Pierscionek, Barbara K. and McClelland, Julie F. (2010) A survey of visual function in an Austrian population of school-age children with reading and writing difficulties.BMC Ophthalmology, 10(16), ISSN (online) 1471-2415 

Pierscionek, Barbara K., Keenan, J., Yasseen, A., Colhoun, L.M., Li, Y.B., Schachar, R.A. and Chen, W. (2010) CeO2 nanoparticles have no detrimental effect on eye lens proteins.Current Analytical Chemistry, 6(2), pp. 172-176. ISSN (print) 1573-4110 

Pierscionek, Barbara K., Li, Yuebin, Yasseen, Akeel A., Colhoun, Liza M., Schachar, Ronald A. and Chen, Wei (2010) Nanoceria have no genotoxic effect on human lens epithelial cells.Nanotechnology, 21(3), 035102. ISSN (print) 0957-4484 

Keenan, Jonathan, Elia, Giuliano, Dunn, Michael J., Orr, David F. and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2009) Crystallin distribution patterns in concentric layers from toad eye lenses.Proteomics, 9(23), pp. 5340-5349. ISSN (print) 1615-9853 

Schachar, Ronald A. and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2009) eLetter – Proper controls are required for determining the mechanism of accommodation.Investigative Optometry and Visual Science, 50(1), ISSN (print) 0146-0404 

Pierscionek, T.J., Moore, J.E. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2009) Referrals to ophthalmology: optometric and general practice comparison.Ophthalmic And Physiological Optics, 29(1), pp. 32-40. ISSN (print) 0275-5408 

Asejczyk-Widlicka, M. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2008) The elasticity and rigidity of the outer coats of the eye.British Journal of Ophthalmology, 92(10), pp. 1415-1418. ISSN (print) 0007-1161 

Srodka, Wieslaw and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2008) Effect of material properties of the eyeball coat on optical image stability.Journal of Biomedical Optics, 13(5), 054013. ISSN (print) 1083-3668 

Keenan, J., Orr, D.F. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2008) Patterns of crystallin distribution in porcine eye lenses.Molecular Vision, 14, pp. 1245-1253. ISSN (online) 1090-0535 

Schachar, Ronald A., Kamangar, Farhad and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2008) To the Editor: Changes in lens dimensions and refractive index with age and accommodation.Optometry and Vision Science, 85(4), pp. 281-282. ISSN (print) 1040-5488 

Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2008) What is presumed when we presume consent?BMC Medical Ethics, 9(8), ISSN (online) 1472-6939 

Asejczyk-Widlicka, Magdelena, Schachar, Ronald A. and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2008) Optical coherence tomography measurements of the fresh porcine eye and response of the outer coats of the eye to volume increase.Journal of Biomedical Optics, 13(2), 024002. ISSN (print) 1083-3668 

Siedlecki, Damian, Kasprzak, Henryk and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2008) Radial gradient index intraocular lens: a theoretical model.Journal of Modern Optics, 55(4-5), pp. 639-647. ISSN (print) 0950-0340 

Hunter, D. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2007) Children, Gillick competency and consent for involvement in research.Journal of Medical Ethics, 33(11), pp. 659-662. ISSN (print) 0306-6800 

Schachar, Ronald A., Karnangar, Farhad and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2007) Comment on ‘Edinger–Westphal and pharmacologically stimulated accommodative refractive changes and lens ciliary process movements in rhesus monkeys’ by L.A. Ostrin and A. Glasser [Exp. Eye Res. 84(2) (2007) 302–313].Experimental Eye Research, 85(2), pp. 298-299. ISSN (print) 0014-4835 

Asejczyk-Widlicka, M. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2007) Fluctuations in intraocular pressure and the potential effect on aberrations of the eye.British Journal of Ophthalmology, 91(8), pp. 1054-1058. ISSN (print) 0007-1161 

Belaidi, A. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2007) Modeling internal stress distributions in the human lens: Can opponent theories coexist?Journal of Vision, 7(11), ISSN (online) 1534-7362 

Asejczyk-Widlicka, M., Srodka, D.W., Kasprzak, H. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2007) Modelling the elastic properties of the anterior eye and their contribution to maintenance of image quality: the role of the limbus.Eye, 21(8), pp. 1087-1094. ISSN (print) 0950-222X 

Schachar, Ronald A. and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2007) Lens hardness not related to the age-related decline of accommodative amplitude.Molecular Vision, 13, pp. 1010-1011. ISSN (online) 1090-0535 

Pierscionek, B.K., Asejczyk-Widlicka, M. and Schachar, R.A. (2007) The effect of changing intraocular pressure on the corneal and scleral curvatures in the fresh porcine eye.British Journal of Ophthalmology, 91(6), pp. 801-803. ISSN (print) 0007-1161 

Schachar, Ronald A., Davila, Carlos, Pierscionek, Barbara K., Chen, Wickham and Ward, Warren W. (2007) The effect of human in vivo accommodation on crystalline lens stability.British Journal of Ophthalmology, 91(6), pp. 790-793. ISSN (print) 0007-1161 

Schachar, Ronald A., Pierscionek, Barbara K., Abolmaali, Ali and Le, Tri (2007) The relationship between accommodative amplitude and the ratio of central lens thickness to its equatorial diameter in vertebrate eyes.British Journal of Ophthalmology, 91(6), pp. 812-817. ISSN (print) 0007-1161 

Siedlecki, Damian, Kasprzak, Henryk and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2007) Dynamic changes in corneal topography and its influence on the point-spread function of the eye.Applied Optics, 46(8), pp. 1361-1366. ISSN (print) 0003-6935 

Evanger, K., Haugen, O.H., Aanderud, L., Thorsen, E. and Pierscionek, B.K. (2006) Hypermetropia-succeeded myopia after hyperbaric oxygen therapy.Optometry and Vision Science, 83(3), pp. 195-198. ISSN (print) 1040-5488 

Kwok, L.S., Pierscionek, B.K., Bullimore, M., Swarbrick, H.A., Mountford, J. and Sutton, G. (2005) Orthokeratology for myopic children: wolf in sheep’s clothing?Clinical And Experimental Ophthalmology, 33(4), pp. 343-347. ISSN (print) 1442-6404 

Pierscionek, B.K., Belaidi, A. and Bruun, H.H. (2005) Refractive index distribution in the porcine eye lens for 532 nm and 633 nm light.Eye, 19(4), pp. 375-381. ISSN (print) 0950-222X 

Gilchrist, James M., Pierscionek, Barbara K. and Mann, William M. (2005) Use of the Hermann grid illusion in the measurement of contrast perception in dyslexia.Vision Research, 45(1), pp. 1-8. ISSN (print) 0042-6989 

Siedlecki, Damian , Kasprzak, Henryk and Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2004) Schematic eye with a gradient-index lens and aspheric surfaces.Optics Letters, 29(11), pp. 1197-1199. ISSN (print) 0146-9592 

Pierscionek, Barbara K., Belaidi, Abdelhafid and Bruun, Hans H. (2003) Optical development in the foetal bovine lens.Experimental Eye Research, 77(5), pp. 639-641. ISSN (print) 0014-4835 

Kasprzak, Henryk and Pierscionek, Barbara Krystyna (2002) Modelling the gravitational sag of the cornea and the subsequent quality of the refracted image.Journal of Modern Optics, 49(13), pp. 2153-2166. ISSN (print) 0950-0340 

Pierscionek, Barbara, Green, Roger J. and Dolgobrodov, Sergey G. (2002) Retinal images seen through a cataractous lens modeled as a phase-aberrating screen.Optical Society of America. Journal A: Optics, Image Science, and Vision, 19(8), pp. 1491-1500. ISSN (print) 1084-7529 

Maddah, S.R., Gough, T., Pierscionek, B. and Bruun, H.H. (2002) Investigation of slat heel effect on the flow field over multi-element aerofoils.Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 25(8), pp. 651-658. ISSN (print) 0894-1777 

Book

Pierscionek, Barbara K. (2008) Law and ethics for the eye-care professional. Edinburgh : Butterworth Heinemann/Elsevier. ISBN 9780080450339 

Book Section

Pierscionek, B. (2005) Species variations in the refractive index of the eye lens and patterns of change with ageing.In: Ioseliani, O.R., (ed.) Focus on Eye Research. New York : Nova Science Publishers. pp. 91-116. ISBN 1594544344 

Conference or Workshop Item

Rankin, D., Scotney, B., Morrow, P., McDowell, R. and Pierscionek, B. (2009) Comparing and improving algorithms for iris recognition.In: 13th International Machine Vision and Image Processing Conference; 2 – 4 Sept. 2009 , Dublin, Ireland. ISBN 9781424448753 

Pierscionek, B., Crawford, S. and Scotney, B. (2008) Iris recognition and ocular biometrics – the salient features.In: International Machine Vision and Image Processing Conference; 3 – 5 Sept. 2008 , Portrush, Northern Ireland. ISBN 9780769533322 

Pierscionek, Barbara K. and Green, Roger (2005) Measurement of corneal surface refractive index.In: Opto-Ireland 2005: Optical Sensing and Spectroscopy; 4 Apr 2005, Dublin, Ireland. (Proceedings of the SPIE, no. 5826)