Russell N.. Van Gelder

Undergraduate Education: BS, Biological Sciences, 1985
Medical School: MD, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1994
Graduate Education: PhD, Neurosciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1994
Internship: Internal Medicine, Stanford University Hospital and VA Hospital, 1995
Residency: Ophthalmology, Washington University,1998
Fellowship: Uveitis and Medical Retina, Washington University School of Medicine, 1999
Board Certification: American Board of Ophthalmology 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 Sub Specialty Societies; American Uveitis Society; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Society for Research on Biological Rhythms; Macula society

Dr. Van Gelder was born and raised in and around New York City. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. He remained at Stanford for the MD/PhD program, earning his PhD in Neurosciences studying the molecular biology of circadian rhythms. Following internal medicine internship at Stanford, he completed his residency in ophthalmology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University in St. Louis, and his medical retina and uveitis fellowship at the Barnes Retina Institute.

Dr. Van Gelder remained on faculty at Washington University from 1999 until 2007. His research has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1999. His laboratory has been at the forefront of two fields, non-visual photoreception and pathogen detection in uveitis. He has published over 100 papers and book chapters, including papers in Science, Neuron, Nature Genetics, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He was appointed the Bernard Becker Professor of Ophthalmology at Washington University in 2006. Dr. Van Gelder has won numerous awards for his research, including the Research to Prevent Blindness Career Development Award, an NEI K08 Award, the Culpeper Foundation Clinician-Scientist Award, the inaugural Becker/RPB/AUPO Research Award, and the Translational Scientist Award of the Burroughs-Wellcome Foundation.

Since 2008, Dr. Van Gelder has been the Boyd K. Bucey Memorial Chair, Professor, and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at University of Washington in Seattle. He is Director of the UW Medicine Eye Institute, and is Adjunct Professor of Biological Structure and of Pathology. Nationally, he is a Trustee of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and serves as Chair of the Council. He is past President of the American Uveitis Society. He is a Trustee of the Society of Heed Fellows, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for Foundation Fighting Blindness. Dr. Van Gelder is an active clinician-scientist and teacher. He sees patients with ocular inflammatory disease one day per week, and divides his remaining time between his research, teaching, and administrative duties. Dr. Van Gelder lives on Mercer Island, Washington, with his wife and two children. His pastimes include hiking, backpacking, skiing, music, and photography.

Eye Institute at Harborview

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

"My goal is to give each patient the care I would give my family; to apply the best scientific evidence and most appropriate treatments; and to help the patient make the best medical decisions”

2018: President, Washington Academy of Eye Physician and Surgeons 2018: President, Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology 2010-2017: Inclusion in 'Top Doctors', in Seattle Magazine and/or Seattle Met Magazine 2017: Bressler Award, Lighthouse Guild 2015: President, American Academy of Ophthalmology 2013-present: Editorial Board, Ophthalmology

Dr. Van Gelder specializes in uveitis, including iritis, pars planitis, retinitis, choroiditis and scleritis, medical retinal disease, and also in hereditary retinal disease and macular dystrophies.

Dr. Van Gelder's laboratory is interested in the mechanisms of uveitic disease, including discovery of novel pathogens and understanding the role of auto-antibodies in uveitis. His laboratory is also interested in how the eye can sense light without seeing, and how these mechanisms can be used to treat blindness.

Vision Science Van Gelder Lab

Location: South Lake Union

Mailing Address: University of Washington Van Gelder Lab, E 510 750 Republican St. Seattle, WA 98109-8058

Main Reception Tel: 206-897-1327 Phone: 206-221-3262