Dr Nathan Kerr is a Principal Investigator and Clinical Lead for glaucoma surgical trials in CERA’s Clinical Trials Research Centre.

Dr Kerr’s primary research interest is the surgical management of glaucoma, in particular to determine the safety, clinical efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and impact on quality of life of newer minimally invasive surgical techniques and implants compared to traditional therapies.

Utilising microscopic minimally invasive devices and new methods of medication delivery, he is investigating new treatments that may one day replace the need for daily glaucoma eye drops.

Dr Kerr completed his medical training at the University of Auckland and graduated with the Sir Douglas Robb Prize for the most distinguished academic performance in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree.

He was awarded a scholarship to undertake a glaucoma and optic nerve research fellowship, for which he received a Doctorate of Medicine and was a finalist for the Young Scientist of the Year award.

Dr Kerr undertook ophthalmology specialty and then subspecialty training in glaucoma at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. He was awarded a scholarship to undertake a prestigious fellowship in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery and surgical trials at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.

He has been involved in several landmark clinical trials including the Primary Tube versus Trabeculectomy Study, the Treatment of Advanced Glaucoma Study, and the InnFocus MicroShunt Study.

Dr Kerr has a strong proven academic and research track record and has published over 35 peer-reviewed papers and 2 book chapters. He is Glaucoma Section Editor for Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.

Dr Kerr is the Principal Investigator of the International Glaucoma Surgery Registry, a prospective international observational study of people undergoing glaucoma surgery; and Principal Investigator the first-in-human clinical trial of the PolyActiva ocular implant for glaucoma, OccuRx oral anti-fibrotic study to reduce scarring after glaucoma surgery, XEN in angle closure study, and ATHENA study investigating the safety and effectiveness of Bimatoprost SR compared with selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) in glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Dr Kerr is a pioneer of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, having been the first surgeon in Australia to implant or be trained to perform several types of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) procedures in Australia.

He has been invited to teach glaucoma surgery in Australia, Korea, Thailand, Canada, France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom and volunteers on medical missions to train ophthalmologists in developing countries.