Welcome from the Chair

Albert S. Jun, MD, PhD
Vernah Scott Moyston Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology

Dear Friends of UVA Ophthalmology,

May 6, 2026 marks my second anniversary as department chair! I have vowed at that point to no longer refer to myself as “new,” and appropriately, I don’t feel new anymore. I have gained a very agreeable familiarity with the department, the medical center, the university, and Charlottesville. Importantly, I am just as excited and energized to be part of this remarkable group and environment, our important work, and our important mission. The main difference compared to two years ago is that the department has grown, and we have much to be proud of as a group.

In this issue, you will learn more about two internationally renowned faculty members who recently joined our department. Dr. Shannath Merbs is a true triple threat academic physician, a superb oculoplastic surgeon, outstanding educator, and NIH-funded global ophthalmology researcher. Dr. Jenny Zhou has defined a new area of understanding vascular malformations in the retina and brain. Her NIH-funded work has been published in leading basic research journals such as Nature Medicine and Nature Communications. I’m sure you will also appreciate learning more about a beloved UVA Ophthalmology stalwart, Debbie Perry, who for nearly 40 years has been part of the glue holding the department together. Lastly, I know you will enjoy reading about our numerous departmental accomplishments.

As always, thank you for your interest and support. We’ve made a lot of progress here in the last two years, but as always, there is much more to do. We’ll keep at it, and we look forward to keeping you updated. In the meantime, we’d love to hear from you, so drop us a line and let us know what you’ve been up to!

All my best,
Albert S. Jun, MD, PhD
Vernah Scott Moyston Professor and Chair