Three new department chairs have been named within the School of Medicine, including the appointment of Dr. Russell Van Gelder from Washington University in St. Louis.

Van Gelder will head the Department of Ophthalmology, where he hopes to use the University's resources to build a first-rate eye department.

"It's a wonderful opportunity to be a part of," Van Gelder said. "I don't think there's any other opportunity like this in the country, where we can bring together this top-notch faculty and research together in one place."

Van Gelder hopes to initiate the building of a new eye institute, where "cutting-edge state-of-the-art eye research" can take place, educating the public on eye diseases.

"We've been in an active recruitment for a chair within the Department of Ophthalmology for quite some time," said Tina Mankowski, director of news and community relations for Health Sciences and UW Medicine. "He was selected because he is going to bring some incredible [changes for the department]. He's going to be a great asset for the Department of Ophthalmology."

Other changes within the School of Medicine include the promotion of professor James Champoux to the head of the Department of Microbiology, and Peter Esselman to new chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Champoux will replace former chair Peter Greenberg. He has received a UW Distinguished Teaching Award and a Guggenheim Fellowship, and is a fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology.

Esselman has been serving as acting chair for his department, and also serves as the chief of rehabilitation medicine at Harborview Medical Center.

"Esselman has been with the UW for a number of years, and everyone is really excited about the new role he will play," Mankowski said. "He will further strengthen the Department of Rehabilitation."

Excitement is also in the air for Van Gelder, who looks forward to making the move to Seattle by the time his appointment begins Jan. 1, 2008.

"I'm more excited than nervous," he said. "The process was very quick and pleasant; the experience so far has been extraordinarily positive."

Van Gelder is a distinguished professor at Washington University, where he was named a Bernard Becker professor. He obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. from Stanford University.

[Reach reporter Arla Shephard at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]