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Basic Research

The Department of Ophthalmology at the University of North Carolina performs research that has the potential to profoundly influence and impact ophthalmic science, medicine, patient care, and the education for several future generations of physicians and scientists. Our advances in synthetic biology, genetic technology, computer and biological engineering have accelerated the pace of discovery and leveraged applied scientific successes that expand the realm of possibility for millions of sight-challenged people around the globe, turning laboratory discoveries into treatment and cures.

The UNC Department of Ophthalmology houses four faculty-led laboratories on the fourth floor of the UNC Neuroscience Research Building, which features approximately 35,000 square feet of research-oriented space. The UNC Neuroscience Research Center serves as a collaborative, inter-departmental hub for affiliated investigators  to conduct robust neuroscience research that advances developmental, cellular and disease-related processes.*

Our Basic Science Labs


Benjamin J. Frankfort, MD, PhD

Matthew (“Matt”) Hirsch, PhD

Jacquelyn (“Jackie”) J. Bower, PhD

Zongchao Han, PhD

Research News

ASCRS 2026: Dr. Mohammad Soleimani Showcases UNC’s Cornea and Ocular Surface Disease Expertise

In mid-April 2026, UNC Professor of Ophthalmology Dr. Mohammad Soleimani, MD, FICO, represented the department proudly at the 2026 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. At this conference, Dr. Soleimani delivered two invited presentations — Infectious Keratitis Management and Ocular-Surface Regeneration Therapies for Eye Disorders — highlighting areas of growing clinical and …

Dr. Alice Zhang: 6th Annual Randy Wheelock Research Award Recipient & Leader in Choroideremia Research

UNC Ophthalmology is pleased to recognize Associate Professor and Residency Program Director Alice Zhang, MD, as the Choroideremia Research Foundation’s 6th Annual Randy Wheelock Research Award recipient. The yearly Wheelock Research Award honors exceptional emerging clinical and basic ophthalmic researchers who are initiating or furthering their investigative focus on choroideremia (CHM). This lesser-known, rare X-linked …

* For general inquiries related to collaborating with or working in any of the Carolina Eye Research Institute (CERI)’s four labs, please visit the websites for the respective lab of interest. To learn more about the monthly UNC Eye Research Seminar Series hosted by CERI, please email unceye-research@email.unc.edu.