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Boulder Eye Surgeons- Arapahoe

4745 Arapahoe Ave. #100, Boulder, CO 80303
(303) 444-3000

Boulder Eye Surgeons/Panorama LASIK

1810 30th St. Suite B, Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 499-2020
(Formerly Boulder Eyes/Beyer LASIK)

Boulder Eye Surgeons - Erie

101 Erie Parkway, Suite 202, Erie, CO 80516
(720) 526-0010

Our Doctors

Brian E. Nichols, MD PHD

Brian E. Nichols, MD, PhD, joined Boulder Eye Surgeons as an Ophthalmologist in 2000. He completed his undergraduate degree with the highest distinction at the University of Iowa. He went on to medical school at the University of Iowa, where he graduated with an M.D. and also received a Ph.D. from the graduate college in genetics. Following medical school, Dr. Nichols completed an internal medicine internship at the University of Iowa. He completed his formal training with a three-year Ophthalmology residency at the University of Iowa. After his residency, he completed a fellowship in Pediatric Opthalmology at the University of Iowa. A Board Certified Ophthalmologist, Dr. Nichols has specialties in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus along with cataract surgery.  He has published multiple articles on genetics in relation to diseases of the eye. He also holds a patent for a device and process for Staining Electrophoretic Gels.
  • The University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology, Fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology, July 1999-July 2000
  • The University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology, Residency, July 1996-July 1999
  • The University of Iowa Department of Internal Medicine, Internship, July 1995-July 1996
  • The University of Iowa College of Medicine, M.D., May 1995
  • The University of Iowa Graduate College, Department of Genetics, Ph.D., May 1995
  • Dean’s and President’s List 1985-1988
  • Graduation with Highest Distinction, University of Iowa, December, 1990
  • Second place oral presentation, Midwest Medical Student Research Forum, February, 1990
  • Graduate Fellow, National Science Foundation, 1991-1994
  • Hansjoerg Kolder Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology, 1995
  • Lewis Rudin Glaucoma Prize, 1998
  • Thomas Heed Fellowship in Ophthalmology, 1999
  • P.J. Leinfelder Award for Research in Ophthalmology, 2000
  • Member, American Academy of Ophthalmology
  • Member, American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
  • Member, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons
  • Member, American Medical Association
  • Member, Colorado Ophthalmologic Society
  • Member, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
  • Member, Boulder Medical Society
  • National Board of Medical Examiners
  • American Board of Ophthalmology
  • State of Colorado Board of Medical Examiners
  • Avista Adventist Hospital, Louisville, CO
  • Boulder Community Hospital, Boulder, CO

Device and Process for Staining Electrophoretic Gels
Serial No. 08/236,96
Case No. UIRF N4-32

Stone, E.M., Nichols, B.E., Wolken, M.S., Montague, P.R., and Thompson, H.S., Normative data for the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-hue test. In Colour Vision Deficiencies IX, Proceedings of the International Symposium, Sydney 1991, B. Drum (editor), pp. 303-320, Kluwer Academic Publishers, the Netherlands, 1993.

Stone, E.M., Kimura, A.E., Nichols, B.E., Khadavi, P., Fishman, G.A., and Sheffield, V.C., Regional Distribution of Retinal Degeneration in Patients with the Proline to Histidine Mutation in Codon 23 of the Rhodopsin Gene, Ophthalmology, (98) 1806-1813, 1991.

Sheffield, V.C., Beck, J.S., Nichols, B.E., Cousineau, A., Lidral, A.C., and Stone, E.M., Detection of Multiallele Polymorphisms within Gene Sequences by GC-Clamped Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, Am. J. Hum. Genet., (50) 567-575, 1992.

Stone, E.M., Vandenburgh, K., Nichols, B.E., and Sheffield, V.C., Identification of rhodopsin gene mutations using GC-clamped denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. In Photoreceptor Cells, P. Hargrave (editor); one of a series: Methods in Neurosciences, P. Michael Conn, editor, Academic Press, Orlando, Fla, in press.

Brown, D.M., Nichols, B.E., Weingeist, T.A., Sheffield, V.C., Kimura, A.E., and Stone, E.M., Procollagen II Gene Mutation in Stickler Syndrome, Arch. Ophthalmol., (110) 1589-1593, 1992.

Stone, E.M., Nichols, B.E., Streb, L.M., Kimura, A.E., and Sheffield, V.C., Genetic Linkage of Vitelliform Macular Degeneration (Best’s Disease) to Chromosome 11q13, Nature Genetics, (1) 246-250, 1992.

Stone, E.M., Kimura, A.E., Folk, J.C., Bennett, S.R., Nichols, B.E., Streb, L.M., and Sheffield, V.C., Genetic Linkage of Autosomal Dominant Neovascular Inflammatory Vitreoretinopathy to Chromosome 11q13, Human Molecular Genetics, (1) 685-689, 1992.

Nichols, B.E., Sheffield, V.C., Vandenburgh, K., Drack, A.V., Kimura, A.E., and Stone, E.M., Butterfly-Shaped Pigment Dystrophy of the Fovea is Caused by a Point Mutation in Codon 167 of the RDS Gene, Nature Genetics, (3) 202-207, 1993.

Nichols, B.E., Drack, A.V., Vandenburgh, K., Kimura, A.E., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M., A 2 Base Pair Deletion in the RDS Gene Associated with Butterfly-Shaped Pigment Dystrophy of the Fovea, Human Molecular Genetics, (2) 601-603, 1993.

Sheffield, V.C., Stone, E.M., Alward, W.L.M., Drack, A.V., Johnson, A.T., Streb, L.M., and Nichols, B.E., Genetic Linkage of Familial Open Angle Glaucoma to Chromosome 1q21-q31, Nature Genetics, (4) 47-50, 1993.

Nichols, B.E., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M., A User-Friendly Hypercard Interface for Human Linkage Analysis, Computer Applications in the Biosciences, (9) 757-759, 1993.

Nichols, B.E., Bascom, R., Litt, M., McInnes, R., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M., Refining the Locus for Best’s Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy and Mutation Analysis of the Candidate Gene ROM1, Am. J. Hum. Genet., (54) 95-103, 1994.

Stone, E.M., Mathers, W.D., Rosenwasser, G., Holland, E., Folberg, R., Krachmer, J.H., Nichols, B.E., Gorevic, P.D., Taylor, C., Streb, L.M., Fishbaugh, J.A., Daley, T.E., Sucheski, B., Sheffield, V.C. Three Autosomal Dominant Corneal Dystrophies Map to Chromosome 5q, Nature Genetics, (6) 47-51, 1994.

Stone, E.M., Nichols, B.E., Kimura, A.E., Weingeist, T.A., Drack, A.V., Sheffield, V.C. Clinical Features of a Stargardt-like Dominant Progressive Macular Dystrophy with Genetic Linkage to Chromosome 6q, Archives of Ophthalmology, (112) 765-72, 1994.

Nichols, B.E., Thompson, H.S., Stone, E.M. Evaluation of a Significantly Shorter Version of the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test in Patients with Three Different Optic Neuropathies, Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology, (17) 1-6, 1997.

Sunden, S.L.F., Alward, W.L.M., Nichols, B.E., Rohklina, T.R., Nystuen, A., Stone, E.M., Sheffield, V.C. Fine Mapping of the Autosomal Dominant Juvenile Open Angle Glaucoma (GLC1A) Region and Evaluation of Candidate Genes, Genome Research, (6) 862-9, 1996.

Stone, E.M., Fingert, J.H., Alward, W.L.M., Nguyen, T.D., Polansky, J.R., Sunden, S.L.F., Nishimura, D., Clark, A.F., Nystuen, A., Nichols, B.E., Mackey, D.A., Ritch, R., Kalenak, J.W., Craven, E.R., Sheffield, V.C. Identification of a Gene Causing Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (GLC1A), Science, (275) 668-70, 1997.

Maturi, R.K., Folk, J.C., Nichols, B.E., Oetting, T.T., Kardon, R.H., Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy, Archives of Ophthalmology, (117) 1262-3, 1999.

Nichols, B.E., Stone, E.M., Brody, J.M., Johnson, A.T., Raphtis, M.E., and Thompson, H.S., A Single Rack of the FM-100 is as Sensitive and Specific as the Entire Test for Monitoring Optic Neuropathies, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (30-suppl.) 244, 1989.

Nichols, B.E., Stone, E.M., and Thompson, H.S., A Revised Version of the FM-100 for Evaluating Optic Neuropathies, presented at the 21st annual Midwest Student Medical Research Forum, 1990 and the National Student Research Forum, 1990.

Wolken, M.S., Nichols, B.E., Vockrodt, L.J., Montague, P.R., and Stone, E.M., An 83 Hue Color Vision Test Has a More Even Error Distribution than Farnsworth’s 84 Hue Test, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (32-suppl.) 1283, 1991.

Nichols, B.E., Massicotte, S.J., Slavin, M.L., Folberg, R., and Stone, E.M., Light Microscopy of the Eyes of a Patient With Non-Wallace-Type Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (32-suppl.) 857, 1991.

Nichols, B.E., Thompson, H.S., and Stone, E.M., Normative Data and Standardized Testing Conditions for an 83 Hue Color Vision Test, presented at the 11th meeting of the International Research Group on Color Vision Deficiencies, 1991.

Nichols, B.E., Stone, E.M., and Sheffield, V.C., Mitochondrial DNA Polymorphisms Detected with GC-Clamped Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum. Genet. (49-suppl.), 2520, 1991.

Coppinger, J.M., Nichols, B.E., Streb, L.M., Mack, R.J., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M., Identification of Mitochondrial Gene Mutations Associated with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy by GC-Clamped Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (33-suppl.), 2631, 1992.

Sheffield, V.C., Kimura, A.E., Folk, J.C., Bennett, S.R., Streb, L.M., Nichols, B.E., and Stone, E.M., The Gene for Autosomal Dominant Neovascular Inflammatory Vitreoretinopathy Maps to 11q13, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum. Genet. (51-suppl.), A35, 1992.

Nichols, B.E., Sheffield, V.C, and Stone, E.M., A User-Friendly Macintosh Interface for DOS-Based Linkage Analysis, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum. Genet. (51-suppl.), A369, 1992.

Stone, E.M., Nichols, B.E., McInnes, R.R., Bascom, R.A., Kimura, A.E., Streb, L.M., and Sheffield, V.C., The Gene for Best’s Disease (Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy) Maps to Chromosome 11q13, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum. Genet. (51-suppl.), A35, 1992.

Brown, D.M., Nichols, B.E., Weingeist, T.A., Kimura, A.E., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M., Type II Procollagen Gene Mutation in Stickler Syndrome, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum Genet. (51-suppl.), A301, 1992.

Nichols, B.E., Kimura, A.E., Streb, L.M., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M., Mutations in the RDS Gene are Associated with Butterfly-Shaped Pigment Dystrophy of the Fovea, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. (34-suppl.), 2194, 1993.

Stone, E.M., Nichols, B.E., Kimura, A.E., Weleber, R.G., Gorin, M.B., Fishman, G.A., Jacobson, S.G., Gass, J.D.M., Drack, A.V., Vandenburgh, K., and Sheffield, V.C., Mutations in the RDS/Peripherin Gene Cause Widely Different Phenotypes Between and Within Affected Families, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum. Genet. (53-suppl.), 14, 1993.

Nichols, B.E., Bascom, R.A., Litt, M., McInnes, R., Taylor, C.M., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M., Fine Mapping of the Best’s Disease Locus and Mutations Analysis of the Candidate Gene ROM1, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum. Genet. (53-suppl.), 1050, 1993.

Sheffield, V.C., Nichols, B.E., Alward, W.L.M., Drack, A.V., Johnson, A.T., Streb, L.M., and Stone, E.M., Genetic Mapping of Familial Open Angle Glaucoma to Chromosome 1q21-q31 and Analysis of Candidate Genes, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum. Genet. (53-suppl.), 1075, 1993.

Brown, D.M., Vandenburgh, K., Nichols, B.E., Erhart, A.R., Kimura, A.E., Weingeist, T.A., Sheffield, V.C., and Stone, E.M., Genetic Mutations at the C-Terminal End of the Procollagen II Gene in Stickler Syndrome (Hereditary Arthro-Ophthalmopathy) and Identification and Phenotypic Description of a New Mutation, (abstr.), Am. J. Hum. Genet. (53-suppl.), 1133, 1993.

Sheffield, V.C., Nichols, B.E., Alward, W.L.M., Drack, A.V., Johnson, A.T., Streb, L.M., Stone, E.M., Genetic Mapping of Familial Open Angle Glaucoma to Chromosome 1q21-q31 and Analysis of Candidate Genes, (abstr.), American Journal of Human Genetics, (53-suppl.), 1075, 1993.

Rokhlina, T., McClain, A.M., Mattes, G.E., Sunden, S.L.F., Nichols, B.E., Duyk, G.M., Stone, E.M., Sheffield, V.C., Rapid Genome-wide Linkage Analysis Using a Set of Tri and Tetranucleotide Repeat Markers and Automated Silver Staining, (abstr.), American Journal of Human Genetics, (55-suppl.), 1173, 1994.

Sheffield, V.C., Kwitek-Black, A.E., Carmi, R., Nichols, B.E., Rokhlina, T., Buetow, K.H., Duyk, G.M., Stone, E.M., Evaluation of an Efficient Approach for Identifying Genetic Disease Loci, (abstr.), American Journal of Human Genetics, (55-suppl.), 266, 1994.

Sunden, S.L.F., Nichols, B.E., Alward, W.L.M., Raymond, M., Ludwigsen, S., Stone, E.M., Sheffield, V.C., Exclusion of Candidate Genes from the Chromosome 1q Juvenile Glaucoma Region and Mapping of the Peripheral Cannabis Receptor Gene (CNR2) to Chromsome 1, (abstr.), American Journal of Human Genetics, (55-suppl.), 1190 1994.

Nichols, B.E., Alward, W.L.M., Ritch, R., Streb, L.M., Taylor, C.M., Sunden, S.L.F., Sheffield, V.C., Stone, E.M., Fine Mapping of the Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Locus on Chromosome 1, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., (35-suppl.), 1009, 1994.

Brown, D.M., Vandenburgh, K., Nichols, B.E., Kimura, A.E., Weingeist, T.A., Sheffield, V.C., Stone, E.M., Incidence of Frameshift Mutations in the Procollagen II Gene in Stickler Syndrome and Identification of Four New Mutations, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., (35-suppl.), 2159, 1994.

Stone, E.M., Nichols, B.E., Kimura, A.E., Weingeist, T.A., Drack, A.V., Sheffield, V.C., Genetic Linkage of a Stargardt-Like Dominant Progressive Macular Dystrophy to Chromosome 6, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., (35-suppl.), 2160, 1994.

Sunden, S.L.F., Nichols, B.E., Alward, W.L.M., Nishimura, D.Y., Stone, E.M., Sheffield, V.C., Physical and Genetic Fine Mapping of the Juvenile Open Angle Glaucoma Region (1q21-q31), (abstr.), American Journal of Human Genetics, (57-suppl.), 1174, 1995.

Sheffield, V.C., Sunden, S.L.F., Alward, W.L.M., Rohklina, T.R., Nichols, B.E., Stone, E.M., High-Density Mapping of the Juvenile Open Angle Glaucoma Region, (abstr.), Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., (37-suppl.), 2078, 1996.

Sunden, S.L.F., Alward, W.L.M., Nichols, B.E., Rokhlina, T., Nystuen, A., Fingert, J., Stone, E.M., Sheffield, V.C., Narrowing the GLC1A Critical Region Using a Late-Onset Autosomal Dominant Open Angle Glaucoma Family, (abstr.), American Journal of Human Genetics, (59-suppl.), 1369, 1996.

Fingert, J.H., Alward, W.L.M., Sunden, S.L.F., Nishimura, D., Nystuen, A., Nichols, B.E., Mackey, D.A., Ritch, R., Kalenak, J.W., Craven, E.R., Beck, G.E., Streb, L.M., Sheffield, V.C., Stone, E.M., Identification of the Gene Causing 1Q-Linked Juvenile Onset Open Angle Glaucoma (GLC1A) and Evidence for Its Involvement in Adult Primary Open Angle Glaucoma, (abstr.) Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., (38-suppl.) 4333, 1997.

Brown, Jr., J., Nichols, B.E., Wiles, C.D., Butler, N., Sheffield, V.C., Stone, E.M., Clinical Characterization and Linkage Analysis of a Four Generation Family with Cone-Rod Dystrophy, (abstr.) Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., (38-suppl.) 5339, 1997.

Nichols, B.E., Butler, N.B., Sheffield, V.C., Stone, E.M., Prevalence of mitochondrial nt3243 mutation in non-syndromic pattern dystrophy, (abstr.) Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci., (-suppl.) B224, 1998.

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