Dr. Chao was born and raised in Santa Monica, California. She graduated with distinction from Stanford University and was awarded the Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Achievement Citation. She earned her MD and PhD at the Yale University School of Medicine, earning her PhD in Neuroscience with a prominent neuroscientist, Eric Nestler, MD, PhD. Upon completion of her internship at Stanford, she continued her residency and vitreoretinal fellowship at the Doheny Eye Institute/USC. During her residency and fellowship, she was awarded the Fight for Sight Postdoctoral Fellowship, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation Research Grant, and the Heed Foundation Fellowship. During that time, she also initiated a research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the laboratory of Marianne Bronner PhD, a recognized world expert in developmental/stem cell biology. Dr. Chao has been on the faculty at UW since 2009.
Dr. Chao was born and raised in Santa Monica, California. She graduated with distinction from Stanford University and was awarded the Janet M. Glasgow Memorial Achievement Citation. She earned her MD and PhD at the Yale University School of Medicine, earning her PhD in Neuroscience with a prominent neuroscientist, Eric Nestler, MD, PhD. Upon completion of her internship at Stanford, she continued her residency and vitreoretinal fellowship at the Doheny Eye Institute/USC. During her residency and fellowship, she was awarded the Fight for Sight Postdoctoral Fellowship, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation Research Grant, and the Heed Foundation Fellowship. During that time, she also initiated a research fellowship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the laboratory of Marianne Bronner PhD, a recognized world expert in developmental/stem cell biology. Dr. Chao has been on the faculty at UW since 2009.
Since joining the faculty, Dr. Chao has published papers and presented work at national meetings. She has also served as a peer-reviewer for several journals, including Ophthalmology and Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. When not involved in patient care, Dr. Chao has an active laboratory dedicated to the study of retinal degenerative disorders.
Dr. Chao offers both medical and surgical treatments for vitreoretinal diseases. She has a particular interest in patients with retinal degenerations. She enjoys working with residents and fellows in clinic, in the operating room, and in her lab. She also enjoys speaking with community groups and sharing her knowledge of current advances in eye disease treatment. Undergraduates also participate in research in Dr. Chao’s lab.
She is dedicated to bringing the highest quality of care to her patients by offering the most up-to-date diagnostic and treatment options to her patients. She enjoys partnering with her patients in their care, listening to them, and keeping them informed of the latest in current research regarding challenging retinal diseases.
In her spare time, Dr. Chao enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, travelling and playing the violin.
Overview
Undergraduate Education: BS, Biological Sciences, Stanford University, 1996
Medical School: MD, Ophthalmology, Yale University, 2003
Post Graduate Education: PhD, Neuroscience, Yale University, 2002
Internship: Internal Medicine, Stanford University, 2004
Residency: Ophthalmology, University of Southern California, 2007
Fellowship: Vitreoretinal Surgery, University of Southern California, 2009
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology, 2008, National Board of Medical Examiners, 2003
Memberships: American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Washington Academy of Eye Physicians and Surgeons (WAEPS), Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), Washington State Medical Association (WSMA)
Sub Specialty Societies: American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS)
Academic Interests
Clinical Interests
Dr. Chao’s clinical interests include age-related macular degeneration, hereditary retinal degenerations (e.g. retinitis pigmentosa), retinal detachments and tears, diabetic retinopathy, macular holes, puckers and edema, myopic macular degeneration, central serous retinopathy, endophthalmitis, and retinal vascular occlusive diseases.
Research Focus
Dr. Chao’s research group studies inherited retinal degenerations and examines potential treatment modalities. Specific projects include the generation of stem cells from persons with inherited retinal degenerations (called induced pluripotent stem cells or IPSCs), generating retinal cells from these IPSCs, and studying the “diseased” retinal cells in culture. Ultimately, the group is focused on discovering new drug therapeutics that could benefit those affected by inherited retinal degenerations.
Awards & Honors
Publications
Chao JR, Bronner-Fraser M, Lwigale P. (2013). Human Fetal Keratocytes have Multipotent Characteristics in the Developing Avian Embryo. Stem Cells and Development, In Press.
Gupta D and Chao JR (2012). Genetics of AMD. Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Third Edition (ed. Lim, JI). London, UK: Informa Healthcare.
Scartozzi R, Chao JR, Walsh AC, Eliott D (2009). Bilateral Improvement of Persistent Diffuse Diabetic Macular Edema after Unilateral Intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin) Injection. Eye 23(5):1229.
Chao JR, Lai M-Y, Azen SP, Klein R and Varma R (2007). Retinopathy in Persons without Diabetes: The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 48(9): 4019-4025.
Chao JR, Khurana RN, Fawzi AA, Reddy HS, and Rao NA (2006). Syphilis: Re-emergence of an Old Adversary. Ophthalmology 113(11): 2074-9.
Primary Clinical Office
Location:
Harborview Medical Center
908 Jefferson St., 7th Floor
Seattle, WA
Clinic Phone: 206-744-2020
Clinic Fax: 206-897-4320
Mailing Address:
Box 359608
325 Ninth Ave.
Seattle, WA 98104
Academic Phone: 206-543-7250
Additional Offices
Vision Science
Chao Lab
Location:
South Lake Union
Mailing Address:
University of Washington
Chao Lab, E210
750 Republican St.
Seattle, WA 98109-8058
Main Reception
Tel: 206-897-1327
Lab Phone: 206-685-5198
Fax: 206-685-9315
Specialties
Medical and Surgical Retina
Retinal Degenerative Diseases
Languages
English, Chinese (Mandarin)
Lab
Chao Lab
