Deepak Shukla

Deepak Shukla (Photo: Jenny Fontaine/University of Illinois Chicago)

Deepak Shukla is the Marion H. Schenk Esq. Professor in Ophthalmology for Research of the Aging Eye and a professor of ophthalmology, microbiology and immunology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. 

Shukla is a pioneering researcher on herpesvirus, one of the most common infections worldwide and a frequent cause of blindness. His work characterizes how the virus establishes itself in nerve cells and remains for decades, periodically activating to cause symptoms, nerve degeneration and further spread infection. These studies have led to the discovery of promising new antiviral therapies for preventing reinfection and reducing disease severity, as well as novel delivery systems that increase the effectiveness and safety of existing treatments.