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Oleg Alekseev

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology, Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery
2351 Erwin Road, Box 3802, Durham, NC 27705

Overview


Dr. Alekseev completed combined MD-PhD training at Drexel University College of Medicine and pursued post-doctoral fellowship training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.  He completed Ophthalmology residency training at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, where he also served as a chief resident.  Dr. Alekseev pursued double-fellowship training in Medical Retina and Inherited Retinal Degenerations at the Duke Eye Center, where he then joined the faculty in 2022.

Dr. Alekseev is a member of the Duke Center for Retinal Degenerations and Ophthalmic Genetic Diseases.  His clinical focus is on inherited retinal degenerations, including conditions like retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, macular pattern dystrophies, syndromic retinal degenerations, and mimickers like autoimmune and iatrogenic retinopathies.  Dr. Alekseev’s patients have access to advanced diagnostic modalities, including electrophisiology testing, various types of perimetry testing, specialized retinal imaging, as well as genetic testing.  In addition to his practice, Dr. Alekseev conducts clinical trials in rare genetic conditions of the retina, such as choroideremia and retinitis pigmentosa.

As a K08-scholar, Dr. Alekseev dedicates the majority of his time to basic and translational research in the laboratory.  He is interested in developing gene-agnostic approaches to extend the longevity of ailing photoreceptors in conditions like retinitis pigmentosa, thereby preserving the vision of affected patients.  The approaches he investigates include both gene-therapy and small-molecule-based therapeutic modalities.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology · 2024 - Present Ophthalmology, Vitreoretinal Diseases & Surgery, Ophthalmology

Recent Publications


Association of Autosomal Dominant Snowflake Vitreoretinal Degeneration with Retinoschisis.

Journal Article Ophthalmol Sci · June 2026 OBJECTIVE: To define and characterize the clinical association of autosomal dominant snowflake vitreoretinal degeneration (SVD) with retinochisis arising from a heterozygous KCNJ13 variant in unrelated multigenerational families and to investigate its gene ... Full text Link to item Cite

Adam9-deficient retinal pigment epithelium pseudopods maintain photoreceptor outer segment renewal despite subretinal space expansion.

Journal Article J Clin Invest · April 1, 2026 Vision begins in the outer segment compartment of photoreceptor cells, which is constantly renewed through the addition of membrane material at its base and ingestion of mature membranes at its tip by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The close apposit ... Full text Link to item Cite

Early-onset hydroxychloroquine maculopathy: on the importance of genetic work-up.

Journal Article Retin Cases Brief Rep · April 1, 2026 PURPOSE: To report a case of bull's eye maculopathy in a 61-year-old female following short-term hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) exposure. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of a single patient case. RESULTS: The patient had normal macular anatomy at ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


An Observational Study of Natural Disease Progression in Participants with Macular Dystrophies Expressing a Stargardt-type Clinical Presentation

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Astellas Pharma Global Development, Inc · 2026 - 2031

Defining the underlying causes of retinal degeneration in CRB1 disease

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by Foundation Fighting Blindness, Inc · 2024 - 2029

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Education


Drexel University, College of Medicine · 2016 M.D.
Drexel University · 2014 Ph.D.