Please join us in congratulating James Chodosh, MD, MPH, the Edith Ives Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and Associate Chief of Ophthalmology Education and Associate Director of the Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service at Mass Eye and Ear, who is relocating September 2022 to become the inaugural Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
An international pioneer in molecular virology, viral genomics, and corneal viral epidemiology, Dr. Chodosh joined Harvard Ophthalmology/Mass Eye and Ear in 2008, following a stellar career at the Dean McGee Eye Institute at the University of Oklahoma. In 2011, he was promoted to Professor of Ophthalmology and named the David G. Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology in the Field of Cornea and External Disease (now called the Edith Ives Cogan Professor of Ophthalmology) at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Chodosh has served as Associate Director of the Mass Eye and Ear Cornea Service since 2013 and his primary clinical interests include the medical and surgical care of infectious and neoplastic ocular surface disorders. He is committed to restoring vision to people with blinding corneal diseases by expanding the clinical scope of the Boston Keratoprosthesis, the most widely used artificial corneal prosthesis, which was developed by Dr. Claes Dohlman.
In addition to being a brilliant and dedicated clinician scientist, Dr. Chodosh is a committed teacher and mentor, who is particularly passionate about expanding opportunities to those who are under-represented in medicine. He has led or co-led the Cornea Fellowship Program since 2009, and in 2019, he assumed the roles of Associate Chief of Ophthalmology Education at Mass Eye and Ear, as well as Vice Chair for Education and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Harvard Ophthalmology.
As you may know, Dr. Chodosh is married to Jaya Rajaiya, PhD, a talented researcher in the Ophthalmology department at Mass Eye and Ear, working on the mechanism of action of viral keratoconjunctivitis. Dr. Rajaiya will be joining the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at the University of New Mexico.
“Jim’s wonderful leadership skills, judgement, and good humor have been essential to so many aspects of our mission and will serve him very well in his new role,” said Joan W. Miller, MD, Chief of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear and Chair of the Harvard Department of Ophthalmology. “Although we will miss him and Jaya greatly, this is a wonderful opportunity and we’re incredibly proud of Jim. We wish him and Jaya the very best as they embark on this new adventure and hope to stay connected as part of our alumni network.”