The Spark of Discovery: Dr. Kun-Che Chang’s Path to Vision Research

For many researchers, the spark of a scientific career arrives in the form of watching a family member struggle with a life-changing diagnosis. For Dr. Kun-Che Chang, it arrived with an actual spark!

Growing up in Kaohsiung, the second-largest city in Taiwan, a young Chang conducted a classic biology experiment combining a piece of liver and a splash of hydrogen peroxide to isolate oxygen gas. He then watched in fascination as it fueled a sudden combustion! That early glimpse into the transformative power of science set him on a path to America, starting with earning his PhD from the University of Colorado, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship with Catalyst for a Cure (CFC) participant and advisor Jeff Goldberg, MD, PhD, and finally his current role as an Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Chang has channeled that childhood fascination into a deeply targeted mission: to cure specific, life-altering eye diseases like glaucoma. Dr. Chang’s 2026 Shaffer Grant research project is designed to identify previously unexplored molecules that could promote both retina neuroprotection and regeneration of axons, the fibers that connect the eye to the brain. By searching for new molecules that are capable of shielding vulnerable retina cells from stress and encouraging regrowth of axons, his research is laying the groundwork for therapies that could actively restore vision in patients with glaucoma.

When he steps away from the lab, Dr. Chang prefers to simply hang out and recharge with his family.

By pairing his childhood curiosity with a laser-focused drive to help patients, Dr. Kun-Che Chang is pushing the boundaries of vision science. Together with the Glaucoma Research Foundation, he is on a quest to bring patients one step closer to a future where irreversible vision loss is a thing of the past.

Where were you born?

Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Where did you get your PhD?

University of Colorado.

What first interested you in science?

I added hydrogen peroxide to pig liver and collected the oxygen gas produced, which supports combustion.

What is your personal motivation as a scientist?

To treat a specific disease, particularly ocular diseases.

What is the goal of your Shaffer research project?

To identify a previously unexplored molecule that promotes RGC neuroprotection and axon regeneration.     

How could your Shaffer research impact glaucoma patients?

To establish a potential therapeutic strategy.

When you’re not in the lab, what do you do for fun?

Hang out with family.

Posted on July 20, 2026. Article by Cynthia Steel, PhD, MBA.