Dr. Yiqin Du is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Prior to this she was an Associate Professor with special appointment at the Third Hospital of Xuzhou Department of Ophthalmology in Xuzhou, China. Dr. Du earned her medical degree at Xuzhou Medical College in Jiangsu Province, China. She later earned her PhD in ophthalmology from Beijing University, where she also did postdoctoral work in stem cell biology and clinical applications. She then came to the University of Pittsburgh to research corneal stem cells and tissue engineering. Dr. Du has been invited to review manuscripts by several peer-reviewed journals, such as IOVS: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Cornea, and Current Eye Research. She is a member of both the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology and the American Society for Cell Biology. In 2008, she was the recipient of the Travel Fellowship Award for Young Investigators from the International Society of Eye Research.

Dr. Du’s current research efforts include a project investigate the stem cells from trabecular meshwork and cell-based therapy for glaucoma and a project to elucidate the biological properties of adult stem cells from corneal stroma and examine their role in corneal maintenance and healing and immunosuppression property.