Northwestern names new ophthalmology chairman

Chicago-Nicholas J. Volpe, MD, professor and holder of the Adele Niessen Chair in Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has been named the new chairman of ophthalmology at Northwestern Medicine, effective Sept 1.

Northwestern Medicine is composed of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Volpe has been vice chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania for more than 10 years. There, he established a pre-eminent neuro-ophthalmology program at the Scheie Eye Institute. He also was recognized in the “Top Doctors” list of Philadelphia Magazine in 2009 and 2010.

In his new position, Dr. Volpe said, he plans to develop a technologically advanced, state-of-the-art specialty practice that attracts patients regionally and nationally; develop focused areas of basic, translational, and clinical research; and create “the most outstanding residency program in the country.”

Dr. Volpe edits or reviews 10 journals, has authored more than 100 research papers, and is co-author of the textbook Neuro-Ophthalmology: Diagnosis and Management. His clinical expertise also includes adult strabismus surgery.

He succeeds Lee Jampol, MD, who led ophthalmology at Northwestern for almost 27 years.