Dr. Akhil Varshney is an Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Virginia (UVA), specializing in the molecular basis of retinal diseases such as AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and retinoblastoma. He holds a Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University and has held research roles at the National Institute of Immunology (NII, India), the University of Kentucky, and UVA. With over 25 publications and 1100+ citations. His work has illuminated the roles of retrotransposons, cytosolic DNA and inflammation in retinal degeneration. His research on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) liquid biopsy for prognostication of metastasis in retinoblastoma demonstrates the promise of personalized medicine in ophthalmology.