
Scientific Advisory Board
The Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is a group of about 60 of the world’s leading retinal disease researchers who guide the Foundation’s scientific activities. Led by a chair and supported by vice-chairs, the SAB includes members with significant achievements in retinal degeneration research. These members hold academic positions and are known for their objectivity and dedication to the Foundation’s goals. They help determine the Foundation’s research direction, gaps, and priorities. They are responsible for deciding which research grants will be funded each year through a rigorous, multi-step process that typically runs from August–September to May–June. SAB members advise the Board of Directors, participate in meetings, review grant applications, and represent the Foundation at events. Their expertise and input are crucial in advancing the mission of the Foundation Fighting Blindness to understand and treat retinal degenerations.

Chair
Jacque Duncan, MD
Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Beckman Vision Center, University of California, San Francisco

Vice Chair
Frederick Ferris, III, MD
Ophthalmic Research Consultants, LLC

Vice Chair
John Flannery, PhD
Professor of Neurobiology, Dept. Molecular & Cell Biology, Assoc. Director, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley

Vice Chair
Robert B. Hufnagel, MD, PhD, FACMG
Senior Investigator, Center for Integrated Health Care Research, Hawaii Permanente Medical Group

Vice Chair
Catherine Bowes Rickman, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology, Depts of Ophthalmology & Cell Biology, George and Geneva Boguslavsky Distinguished Professor of Eye Research, Professor in Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine

Vice Chair
José-Alain Sahel, MD
Distinguished Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Exceptional Class Professor at Sorbonne Université, Paris, The Eye and Ear Foundation Endowed Chair

Vice Chair
Marco Zarbin, MD, PhD
Professor and Chair, Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Professor of Neurosciences, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Chief, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, Newark, New Jersey

Member
Tomas S. Aleman, MD
Irene Heinz-Given and John LaPorte Research Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania

Member
Bela Anand-Apte, MD, PhD
Chair, Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Member
John D. Ash, PhD
Vice-Chair of Ophthalmology and Director of Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Member
Isabelle Audo, MD, PhD
Full Professor, Département de Génétique, Institut de la Vision

Member
Radha Ayyagari, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology and Pathology, Chief of Ophthalmic Molecular Genetics Laboratory (CLIA certified), Director of Shiley Eye Institute BioBank, Viterbi Family Chair III, Shiley Eye Center, University of California, San Diego

Member
William A. Beltran, DVM, PhD
Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, Professor of Ophthalmology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Member
Paul S. Bernstein, MD PhD
Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Moran Eye Center, University of Utah

Member, Program Chair, Clinical
David G. Birch, PhD
Scientific Director, Director, Rose-Silverthorne Retinal Degenerations Laboratory, Retina Foundation of the Southwest

Member
Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
Dept. of Ophthalmology, Emory University School of Medicine

Member, Program Chair, Genetic Technologies
Shannon E. Boye, PhD
Assistant Pofessor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida

Member
Kari Branham, MS, CGC
Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Genetic Counselor, Inherited Retinal Dystrophy Clinic, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan

Member
Jennifer Chao, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington

Member
Rob Collin, PhD
Professor of Molecular Therapy for Inherited Retinal Diseases, Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre

Member
Jason I. Comander, MD, PhD
Director, Inherited Retinal Disorders Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School

Member
Frans Cremers, PhD
Professor, Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Principal Investigator, Donders Center of Medical Neurosciences

Member
Deniz Dalkara, PhD
Group Leader, Biotherapeutics Department, Institut de la Vision, Paris, France

Member
Elfride De Baere, MD, PhD
Senior Full Professor, Center for Medical Genetics Ghent, Ghent University, Senior Clinical Investigator, Research Foundation Flanders

Member, Program Chair, Restorative Therapies
Lucian V. Del Priore, MD, PhD
Robert R. Young Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Yale University School of Medicine, Chief of Ophthalmology, Yale New Haven Hospital

Member, Program Chair, Genetics
Abigail T. Fahim, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan

Member
G. Jane Farrar, PhD
Professor of Genetics, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin

Member
David Gamm, MD, PhD
Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics

Member
James Handa, MD
Chief, Retina Division, Professor of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Member
Elise Héon, MD
Staff Director, Ocular Genetics Program, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, SickKids, University of Toronto

Member
Rachel Huckfeldt, MD PhD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and a full-time member of the Inherited Retinal Disorders Service at Mass Eye and Ear

Member
Leslie G. Hyman, PhD
Vice-Chair for Research, Vickie and Jack Farber Vision Research Center at Wills Eye, Wills Eye Hospital, Professor and Vice Chair of Research, Ophthalmology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University

Member
Thiran Jayasundera, MD, MS, FACS, FRCSC, FRANZCO
Paul R. Lichter Professor of Ophthalmic Genetics, Associate Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Associate Chair, Strategic Implementation, Michigan Medicine, Ophthalmology Retina Clinic

Member
Aparna Lakkaraju, PhD
Professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine

Member
Aaron Y. Lee, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington

Member
Alfred Lewin, PhD
Professor, Dept. of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida

Member
Tiansen Li, PhD
Senior Investigator, Retinal Cell Biology & Degeneration Section, Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute

Member
Ekaterina Lobanova, MD
Associate Professor Of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh

Member
Ramiro S. Maldonado, MD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at Duke University

Member, Program Chair, Novel Medical Therapies
Goldis Malek, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology, Vice-Chair of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Professor in the Department of Pathology, Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine

Member
Jeremy Nathans, MD, PhD
Professor of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Johns Hopkins University

Member
Mark Pennesi, MD, PhD
Director of Ophthalmic Genetics, Retina Foundation of the Southwest

Member
Simon Petersen-Jones, DVM, PhD, DECVO
Professor, Comparative Ophthalmology, Dept. of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University

Member
Eric A. Pierce, MD, PhD
William F. Chatlos Professor, Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Member
Thomas Reh, PhD
Professor, Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington School of Medicine

Member
Bärbel M. Rohrer, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology, SmartState Endowed Chair in Gene and Pharmaceutical Treatment of Retinal Degenerative Diseases, Medical University of South Carolina

Member
Renee Ryals, PhD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the Oregon Health & Science University and a researcher at the Casey Eye Institute

Member
Hendrik Scholl, MA, MD
Director, Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel

Member
Johanna M. Seddon, MD, ScM
Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of Retina, Director of Macular Degeneration Center of Excellence, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Member
Mandeep S. Singh, MD PhD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Genetic Medicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Co-Director of the Genetic Eye Diseases Center

Member
Debasish Sinha, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Member
Janet Sparrow, PhD
Anthony Donn Professor of Ophthalmic Science, Professor of Pathology & Cell Biology, Columbia University

Member
Jack M. Sullivan, MD, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo

Member
Janet Sunness, MD
Medical Director, Hoover Low Vision Rehabilitation Services, Greater Baltimore Medical Center

Member
Debra Thompson, PhD
Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Professor, Biological Chemistry, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan

Member
Katherine E. Uyhazi, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics

Member
Douglas Vollrath, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Genetics, Ophthalmology, Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine

Member
David S. Williams, PhD
Lab Director, Professor of Ophthalmology and Nuerobiology, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles

Member
Paul Yang, MD PhD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health & Science University

Member
Mike Young, PhD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Co-Director, Ocular Regenerative Medicine Institute, Director, Minda de Gunzburg Center for Retinal Regeneration, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School

Member, Program Chair, Cellular and Molecular Mechanism of Disease
Donald J. Zack MD, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology, Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Stem Cells and Ocular Regenerative Medicine (STORM), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine