Jesse B. Schallek, Ph.D.

My laboratory invents new tools to evaluate eye health by measuring function. We are developing cutting-edge cameras to view the cells of the living eye with microscope resolution. In this way, we can study retinal health and disease within single cells of the retina without ever requiring a biopsy.

Professional Background

Dr. Jesse Schallek is assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Flaum Eye Institute at the University of Rochester, NY. He also holds joint appointments in the department of Neuroscience and is a member of the Center for Visual Science. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering from Syracuse University and a PhD in Neuroscience from SUNY Upstate Medical University in 2010. His postdoctoral research focused on developing adaptive optics technology at the University of Rochester training with David Williams, PhD. Dr. Schallek’s laboratory develops and deploys new imaging technologies to study single cell blood flow in the living retinae of humans and animal models. By combining high resolution adaptive optics imaging with high frame rate camera capture, a central focus is to better resolve and thus better image mechanisms of blood flow dysfunction noninvasively through the eye. This provides direct benefit to diagnosis and treatment retinal diseases; and may also in the near future, provide insight to whole body systemic health through the optics of the eye.
In the early stages of his career, Dr. Schallek has been honored with several awards including: The Dana Foundation- David Mahoney Neuroimaging Award, the Research to Prevent Blindness Career Development Award as well as training awards from the Ruth Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) and recognition as an Edmund Optics Higher Education Grant Program Finalist.
Dr. Schallek holds several patents and provisional filings on his adaptive optics technology and has received spotlight and editors picks designation on his recent papers focused on blood flow determination in the retina. He is grateful for funding by five national competitive research grants to support his research.

Research