Dimitra
Skondra

Dr. Dimitra Skondra is a Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at the University of Chicago and a pioneering clinician-scientist in the field of retinal diseases and the gut-retina axis. She is the founder and leader of the UChicago Retina Microbiome Team and Director of the J. Terry Ernest Ocular Imaging Center. Internationally recognized for her innovative work on how the gut microbiome influences age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other retinal disorders, Dr. Skondra integrates cutting-edge methodologies including gnotobiotic mouse models, multi-omics analyses, and clinical microbiome profiling. Her multidisciplinary approach has led to seminal contributions in understanding microbiome-driven mechanisms of ocular disease, supported by numerous prestigious awards. As a mentor, she fosters translational research that bridges basic science and clinical applications to transform patient care in ophthalmology.