Majda Hadziahmetovic

Bio

Majda Hadzihametovic, M.D., received her M.D. from University of Belgrade School of Medicine in 2006, followed by Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania, Scheie Eye Institute, from 2007 to 2012. After completing a year of General Surgery training at Drexel University College of Medicine in 2012, she completed Ophthalmology Residency at the same institution from 2013 to 2016, where she served as a chief resident during her final year. After finishing Medical Retina training at Duke, in 2017 she joined the faculty. 

Dr. Hadziahmetovic’s is a clinician scientist with present research agenda focused on teleophthalmology. She is particularly interested in employing remote diagnosis in early diagnosis, suitable referral and timely treatment of diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration using cutting-edge noninvasive optic coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and fundus photography.

Dr. Hadziahmetovic also has a great interest in basic science, especially investigating new mouse models of retinal diseases. Her long term goal is better understanding of disease processes in Age related macular degeneration using different animal models and potential reversal of morphological changes.

Education

• M.D. University of Belgrade (Serbia), 2006

Trainings & Certifications

• Preliminary Internship, DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY (2012 - 2013) Drexel University, College of Medicine
• 3-Year Ophthalmology Residency, DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY (2013 - 2016) Drexel University, College of Medicine

Positions

• Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
• Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Publications

• Kapoor I, Sarvepalli SM, Grewal DS, Hadziahmetovic M. Clinical Outcomes of Therapeutic Interventions for Autoimmune Retinopathy: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review (Accepted). Ophthalmology Science. 2025 Jan 1;5(1).
• Sarici K, Vajzovic L, Jaffe GJ, Hadziahmetovic M. Bacillary layer detachment associated with photodynamic therapy-related acute exudative maculopathy in a case of central serous chorioretinopathy. Can J Ophthalmol. 2024 Dec;59(6):e873–5.
• Kapoor I, Sarvepalli SM, D’Alessio DA, Hadziahmetovic M. Impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on diabetic retinopathy: A meta-analysis of clinical studies emphasising retinal changes as a primary outcome. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2024 Sep 26;
• Nipp GE, Sarici K, Lee T, Hadziahmetovic M. Risk Factors for Worsening Morphology and Visual Acuity in Eyes with Adult-Onset Foveomacular Vitelliform Dystrophy. Ophthalmology Retina. 2024 Aug;8(8):804–12.
• Johnson NA, Gupta P, Lee T, Hadziahmetovic M, Rosdahl JA. The Use of Optical Coherence Tomography for Early Glaucoma Screening in a Population of Patients with Diabetes. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2024 Apr;31(2):145–51.
• Michalak SM, Mangalesh S, Chen Y, Shen LL, Tai V, Winter K, et al. Longitudinal Choroidal Development in Preterm Infants. Ophthalmol Sci. 2024;4(1):100359.
• Dow ER, Jeong HK, Katz EA, Toth CA, Wang D, Lee T, et al. A Deep-Learning Algorithm to Predict Short-Term Progression to Geographic Atrophy on Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2023 Nov 1;141(11):1052–61.
• Eom S, Janamsetty R, Hadziahmetovic M, Pajic M, Gorlatova M. Demo Abstract: Edge-based Augmented Reality Guidance System for Retinal Laser Therapy via Feature Matching. In: IPSN 2023 - Proceedings of the 2023 22nd International Conference on Information Processing in Sensor Networks. 2023. p. 366–7.
• Sarvepalli SM, Bailey BA, D’Alessio D, Lemaitre M, Vambergue A, Rathinavelu J, et al. Risk factors for the development or progression of diabetic retinopathy in pregnancy: Meta-analysis and systematic review. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2023 Apr;51(3):195–204.
• Nipp GE, Lee T, Sarici K, Malek G, Hadziahmetovic M. Adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy: epidemiology, pathophysiology, imaging, and prognosis. Front Ophthalmol (Lausanne). 2023;3:1237788.
• Kapoor I, Sarvepalli SM, D’Alessio D, Grewal DS, Hadziahmetovic M. GLP-1 receptor agonists and diabetic retinopathy: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Surv Ophthalmol. 2023;68(6):1071–83.
• Rathinavelu J, Sarvepalli SM, Bailey B, D’Alessio D, Hadziahmetovic M. The Impact of Pregnancy on Diabetic Retinopathy: A Single-Site Study of Clinical Risk Factors. Ophthalmic Res. 2023;66(1):1169–80.
• Ma JP, Sarici K, Iannaccone A, Hadziahmetovic M. Autoimmune-Related Retinopathy Presenting As Plaquenil Toxicity in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. J Vitreoretin Dis. 2023;7(6):521–7.
• Gao Q, Amason J, Rathinavelu J, Pajic M, Hadziahmetovic M. Deep learning for longitudinal OCT retinal layer thickness and AMD progression prediction. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2023.
• Eom SS, Pajic M, Gorlatova M, Hadziahmetovic M. Augmented reality for retinal laser therapy. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2023.
• Eom S, Hadziahmetovic M, Pajic M, Gorlatova M. Demo Abstract: Through an AR Lens: Augmented Reality Magnification through Feature Detection and Matching. In: SenSys 2022 - Proceedings of the 20th ACM Conference on Embedded Networked Sensor Systems. 2022. p. 784–5.
• Lee T, Hu M, Gao Q, Amason J, Borkar D, D’Alessio D, et al. Evaluation of a deep learning supported remote diagnosis model for identification of diabetic retinopathy using wide-field Optomap. Annals of Eye Science. 2022 Jun 1;7.
• Ahuja AS, El-Dairi MA, Hadziahmetovic M, Gospe SM. Pellegrini et al-"Reply to: Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy as a Manifestation of Giant Cell Arteritis": Response. J Neuroophthalmol. 2022 Jun 1;42(2):e533–4.
• Gao Q, Wang D, Amason JD, Yuan S, Tao C, Henao R, et al. GRADIENT IMPORTANCE LEARNING FOR INCOMPLETE OBSERVATIONS. In: ICLR 2022 - 10th International Conference on Learning Representations. 2022.
• Borkar DS, Xu C, Hadziahmetovic M, Goldstein B. An EHR-Based Predictive Model to Understand Lost-to-Follow-Up Risk in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2022.
• Lee T, Amason J, Del Risco A, Kim J-B, Cousins SW, Hadziahmetovic M. Incidence of Referable Retinal Disease in Diabetic Patients at a Primary Care Practice. J Vitreoretin Dis. 2022;6(2):138–46.
• Gao Q, Amason J, Del Risco A, Pant P, Lee T, Ma J, et al. An end-to-end deep learning method for predicting retinal layer thickness from Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images in patients with clinical progression of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2022.
• Bandhey H, Del Risco A, Gao Q, Rathinavelu J, Pajic M, Hadziahmetovic M. Exploring Deep-Learning on SD-OCT images as an Effective Mitigation Technique for Hydroxychloroquine-Induced Retinal Toxicity. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2022.
• Gao Q, Wang D, Amason JD, Yuan S, Tao C, Henao R, et al. Gradient Importance Learning for Incomplete Observations. 2021 Jul 5;
• Ahuja AS, El-Dairi MA, Hadziahmetovic M, Gospe SM. Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy as a Manifestation of Giant Cell Arteritis. J Neuroophthalmol. 2021 Jun 1;41(2):e153–6.
• Gao Q, Amason J, Cousins S, Pajic M, Hadziahmetovic M. Automated Identification of Referable Retinal Pathology in Teleophthalmology Setting. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2021 May 3;10(6):30.
• Hu M, Amason J, Lee T, Gao Q, Borkar D, Pajic M, et al. Deep learning approach for automated detection of retinal pathology from ultra-widefield retinal images. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2021.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Amason J, Lee T, Cousins S. Remote diagnosis of referable retinal pathology in diabetic patients visiting primary care clinic. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2021.
• Gao Q, Amason J, Cousins S, Pajic M, Hadziahmetovic M. A deep learning-based automated tool for the identification of referable retinal pathology from multi-modal imaging sources. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2021.
• Gao Q, Xu Y, Amason J, Loksztejn A, Cousins S, Pajic M, et al. Automated Recognition of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells on Limited Training Samples Using Neural Networks. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2020 Jun;9(2):31.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Gao Q, Xu Y, Amason J, Loksztejn A, Cousins SW, et al. Deep Learning Approach for Automated Recognition of Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cell. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. 2020.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Malek G. Age-Related Macular Degeneration Revisited: From Pathology and Cellular Stress to Potential Therapies. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2020;8:612812.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Mettu PS, Cousins SW. Remote diagnosis of referable macular pathology in high disease prevalence communities. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC; 2019.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Nicholas P, Jindal S, Mettu PS, Cousins SW. Evaluation of a Remote Diagnosis Imaging Model vs Dilated Eye Examination in Referable Macular Degeneration. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019 Jul 1;137(7):802–8.
• Lange J, Hadziahmetovic M, Zhang J, Li W. Region-specific ischemia, neovascularization and macular oedema in treatment-naïve proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2018 Sep;46(7):757–66.
• Dunaief J, Song Y, Song D, Baumann B, Theurl M, Hahn P, et al. TISSUE-AUTONOMOUS REGULATION OF RETINAL IRON TRANSPORT. In: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY. WILEY; 2017. p. E318–E318.
• Li W, Hadziahmetovic M, Lange J. The region-dependent neovascularization and macular layer-specific edema and ischemia in proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC; 2017.
• Sterling J, Guttha S, Song Y, Song D, Hadziahmetovic M, Dunaief JL. Iron importers Zip8 and Zip14 are expressed in retina and regulated by retinal iron levels. Exp Eye Res. 2017 Feb;155:15–23.
• Zhao L, Hadziahmetovic M, Wang C, Xu X, Song Y, Jinnah HA, et al. Cp/Heph mutant mice have iron-induced neurodegeneration diminished by deferiprone. J Neurochem. 2015 Dec;135(5):958–74.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Ghuman SA, Ackert JM. Two-year follow-up on characteristics of patients with primary open angle glaucoma at Drexel Eye Physicians in Philadelphia, a high-risk population. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC; 2015.
• Song D, Zhao L, Li Y, Hadziahmetovic M, Song Y, Connelly J, et al. The oral iron chelator deferiprone protects against systemic iron overload-induced retinal degeneration in hepcidin knockout mice. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014 Jun 26;55(7):4525–32.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Williamson K, Lehman AY, Ackert JM. Higher than Expected Prevalence of Glaucoma in Community Centered Practice. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC; 2014.
• Williamson K, Lopez EA, Hadziahmetovic M, Ackert JM. Increased Risk of Ophthalmic Disease in Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC; 2014.
• Song D, Zhao L, Li Y, Hadziahmetovic M, Song Y, Dunaief JL. The oral iron chelator deferiprone protects against iron overload-induced retinal degeneration in Hepcidin knockout mice. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC; 2014.
• Dunaief J, Hadziahmetovic M, Wolkow N, Song Y, Hahn P, Li Y, et al. RETINAL IRON DYSREGULATION IN SYSTEMIC OR CONDITIONAL KNOCKOUT MOUSE MODELS OF HUMAN DISEASE: PROTECTION BY IRON CHELATION. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY. 2013 May 1;88(5):E34–E34.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Kumar U, Song Y, Grieco S, Song D, Li Y, et al. Microarray analysis of murine retinal light damage reveals changes in iron regulatory, complement, and antioxidant genes in the neurosensory retina and isolated RPE. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012 Aug 7;53(9):5231–41.
• Song D, Song Y, Hadziahmetovic M, Zhong Y, Dunaief JL. Systemic administration of the iron chelator deferiprone protects against light-induced photoreceptor degeneration in the mouse retina. Free Radic Biol Med. 2012 Jul 1;53(1):64–71.
• Wolkow N, Song D, Song Y, Chu S, Hadziahmetovic M, Lee JC, et al. Ferroxidase hephaestin's cell-autonomous role in the retinal pigment epithelium. Am J Pathol. 2012 Apr;180(4):1614–24.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Pajic M, Grieco S, Song Y, Song D, Li Y, et al. The Oral Iron Chelator Deferiprone Protects Against Retinal Degeneration Induced through Diverse Mechanisms. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2012;1(3):2.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Pajic M, Grieco S, Song Y, Song D, Li Y, et al. The Oral Iron Chelator Deferiprone Protects Against Retinal Degeneration Induced through Diverse Mechanisms. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2012;1(2):7.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Song Y, Wolkow N, Iacovelli J, Kautz L, Roth M-P, et al. Bmp6 regulates retinal iron homeostasis and has altered expression in age-related macular degeneration. Am J Pathol. 2011 Jul;179(1):335–48.
• Kaneko H, Dridi S, Tarallo V, Gelfand BD, Fowler BJ, Cho WG, et al. DICER1 deficit induces Alu RNA toxicity in age-related macular degeneration. Nature. 2011 Mar 17;471(7338):325–30.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Song Y, Wolkow N, Iacovelli J, Grieco S, Lee J, et al. The oral iron chelator deferiprone protects against iron overload-induced retinal degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011 Feb 16;52(2):959–68.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Song Y, Ponnuru P, Iacovelli J, Hunter A, Haddad N, et al. Age-dependent retinal iron accumulation and degeneration in hepcidin knockout mice. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011 Jan 5;52(1):109–18.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Song Y, Grieco S, Kusko S, Pratico D, Dunaief JL. Iron Chelator Deferiprone Protects Against Iron Mediated Oxidative Stress and Retinal Degeneration. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC; 2010.
• Song Y, Hadziahmetovic M, Hunter A, Iacovelli J, Haddad N, Vaulont S, et al. Peptide Hormone Hepcidin Regulates Retinal Iron Homeostasis. In: INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE. ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC; 2010.
• Loh A, Hadziahmetovic M, Dunaief JL. Iron homeostasis and eye disease. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2009 Jul;1790(7):637–49.
• Shoham A, Hadziahmetovic M, Dunaief JL, Mydlarski MB, Schipper HM. Oxidative stress in diseases of the human cornea. Free Radic Biol Med. 2008 Oct 15;45(8):1047–55.
• Hadziahmetovic M, Dentchev T, Song Y, Haddad N, He X, Hahn P, et al. Ceruloplasmin/hephaestin knockout mice model morphologic and molecular features of AMD. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008 Jun;49(6):2728–36.
• Simic T, Pljesa-Ercegovac M, Savic-Radojevic A, Hadziahmetovic M, Mimic-Oka J. Identification of a glutathione S-transferase without affinity for glutathione sepharose in human kidney. Amino Acids. 2006 Jun;30(4):495–8.