Ula V. Jurkunas, MD

Ula V. Jurkunas, MD is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, Department of Opthalmology Scholar, and a full-time member of the Cornea and Refractive Surgery Service at Mass. Eye and Ear, where she completed her fellowship training and served as Chief Cornea Fellow.  At Mass. Eye and Ear/Schepens Eye Research Institute, she is an Assistant Scientist and the principal investigator of a National Institutes of Health R01 research grant to study the pathogenesis of Fuchs corneal dystrophy. 

Dr. Jurkunas' primary interests are Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, DSEK, corneal transplantation, corneal reconstruction with stem cells, and refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK). She is one of the highest volume refractive surgeons at Mass. Eye and Ear. She has co-authored numerous papers and lectured nationally and internationally on corneal disorders and surgical techniques. Dr. Jurkunas has been the recipient of multiple awards, including a prestigious ARVO/Alcon Early Career Clinician-Scientist Research Award.

Clinical Interests

Refractive surgery, cornea and external disease, including limbal stem cell deficiency, endothelial dysfunction, corneal infection, corneal transplantation, cataract surgery

Research Interests

Fuchs’ Endothelial Dystrophy, oxidative stress and aging of endothelium, ocular surface reconstruction with cultivated epithelium.

Publications

For a full publication list, please see her CV. A representative list (2006 - 2012) is available through www.pubmed.gov.

Jurkunas UV, Rawe I, Bitar MS, Zhu C, Harris DL, Colby K, Joyce NC. Decreased expression of peroxiredoxins in Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008 Jul; 49(7): 2956-63.

Jurkunas UV, Bitar M, Rawe I. Colocalization of increased transforming growth factor-betainduced protein (TGFBIp) and Clusterin in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2009 Mar; 50(3): 1129-36.

Ahmad S, Osei-Bempong C, Dana R, Jurkunas U. The culture and transplantation of human limbal stem cells. J Cell Physiol. 2010 Oct; 225 (1): 15-9.

Jurkunas UV, Bitar MS, Funaki T, Azizi B. Evidence of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy. Am J Pathol. 2010 Nov; 177(5): 2278-89.

Fuchsluger TA, Jurkunas U, Kazlauskas A, Dana R. Anti-apoptotic gene therapy prolongs survival of corneal endothelial cells during storage. Gene Ther. 2011 Aug; 18(8): 778-87.

Page updated: January 17, 2013