Dr. Chao is a retina surgeon and clinician-scientist, running an NIH- funded translational research program focused on identifying new treatments for macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy as well as multidisciplinary collaborations to develop new imaging modalities for the retina. He is an investigator on multiple clinical trials for investigational therapeutics for retinal disease and has over 20 publications. His clinical focus is on retinal detachment, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. He is also the Director of Medical Student Education, overseeing medical student rotations and advising in ophthalmology.

Dr. Chao earned his MD and PhD in Neuroscience at Stanford University, followed by an ophthalmology residency at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, and completed his vitreoretinal fellowship at University of California San Francisco. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology as well as the American Society of Retinal Specialists.

Terms of Appointment: Nov 2018 – Oct 2020