Innovative Physician-Researcher Takes Helm of Division of Ophthalmology at Lurie Children’s

Brenda Bohnsack, MD, PhD, has been appointed new Division Head of Ophthalmology at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She is also expected be an associate professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Bohnsack will assume the roles in September.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Bohnsack to Lurie Children's and look forward to her leadership, clinical expertise and critical research that will further elevate our Division of Ophthalmology,” said Marleta Reynolds, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief, Chair of the Department of Surgery and Professor of Surgery at Feinberg School of Medicine.

Dr. Bohnsack comes from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she served in clinical and academic roles, including as Associate Professor of Ophthalmology with tenure, as Pediatric Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus Fellowship Director, and as the Helmut F. Stern Career Development Professor.

Her clinical interests include diagnosis and management of congenital eye diseases and childhood glaucoma. A renowned vision researcher, her work will be housed in the Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute and involves investigating molecular mechanisms underlying neural crest and ocular development in the embryo to better understand congenital eye diseases and pave the way to new treatment strategies.

Dr. Bohnsack received her medical degree and her doctorate in molecular and cellular biology from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She completed her residency at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where she also served as chief resident. Dr. Bohnsack then completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in ocular and orbital development at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, followed by a fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. She is active on various committees of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, has been invited to lecture nationally and internationally and has published over 45 journal publications and book chapters.

Dr. Bohnsack follows Marilyn Mets, MD, who served for more than 30 years as the Division Head of Ophthalmology at Lurie Children’s, making innumerable contributions during that time. Dr. Mets was the first to describe the eye findings of congenital lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus in the ophthalmic literature, and she served in prominent roles in national associations.

Lurie Children’s Division of Ophthalmology provides world-class treatment and care for a full range of pediatric eye disorders, eye trauma and vision problems.

Lurie Children’s is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. It is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Last year, the hospital served more than 220,000 children from 48 states and 49 countries.