Quarterly Vision Webinar – Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
During February, we highlighted Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month. The webinar covered the latest information on this common eye condition, including what AMD is and how it affects vision, current research and potential treatments, tips for managing AMD and maintaining eye health, followed by a Q&A segment with experts from the field.
Below is a recording of the webinar:
Quarterly Vision Webinar – Clinical Trials
The Foundation staff discussed the drug development process, ongoing clinical trials for inherited retinal diseases and dry AMD, and the importance of transparency and safety in clinical research. They also highlighted the experiences of individuals who have participated in clinical trials, emphasizing the potential benefits and challenges of these trials. The conversation ended with a Q&A session and a discussion on personal experiences with eye diseases and treatments.
Below is a recording of the webinar:
World Retina Day 2023 International Webinar
The webinar featured presentations from researchers worldwide and updates from Foundation staff. Speakers included:
- Dr. Alberto Auricchio - University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy
- Dr. Manuel Irimia - Centre of Genomic Regulation, Spain
- Dr. Alison Hardcastle and Dr. Mike Cheetham - UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, UK
- Dr. Eyal Banin - Hadassah University Hospital, Israel
- Dr. M. Fernanda Abalem - University of Michigan, University of São Paolo
Below is a recording of the webinar:
National Chapter Vision Webinar: Cell-Based Therapies
The event included an introduction to cell-based therapies, a Q&A session, as well as presentations by the following speakers.
- Henry Klassen, MD, PhD – jCyte
- Kapil Bharti, PhD – NEI
- Karl Wahlin, PhD – UCSD
- Ben Shaberman, VP, Science Communications, Foundation Fighting Blindness
Below is a recording of the webinar:
National Chapter Vision Webinar: Emerging Therapies & Research for IRDs
The 90-minute national Vision Webinar featured guest presentations on emerging gene therapies from Opus, a potential anti-oxidative treatment from Nacuity, and a promising cell-based treatment from OkuloVision.
The panel answered questions from the audience on a wide range of research, clinical, and therapy development topics.
Featured Speakers:
- Jami R. Kern, MBA PhD, Nacuity Pharmaceuticals, SVP, Chief Clinical Officer
- Marie Csete, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, OkuloVision
- Erin O'Neil, MD, VP of Clinical Development , Opus Genetics
- Claire Gelfman, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness
- Ben Shaberman, VP, Science Communications, Foundation Fighting Blindness
Below is a recording of the webinar:
National Chapter Vision Webinar: Managing Your Retinal Degenerative Disease
Hosted by Eric Bennardo, Chapter President, Foundation Fighting Blindness – Pittsburgh Chapter, this webinar features a panel of experts in retinal degenerative diseases answering questions about clinical care, clinical trials, genetics, and genetic testing, and low vision assessments and accommodations.
Presenters included:
- Rachelle Lin, OD, MS, Assistant Professor, Marshall B. Ketchum University
- Casey McKenna, CGC, Senior Genetic Counselor, InformedDNA
- Tim Stout, MD, PhD, MBA, Professor, Director-Cullen Eye Institute, and Chair-Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine
The webinar is moderated by Ben Shaberman, the Foundation's Senior Director of Scientific Outreach. Claire Gelfman, PhD, the Foundation's Chief Scientific Officer, provides a Foundation update.
Below is a recording of the webinar:
National Chapter Vision Webinar: Update on Emerging Therapies
The webinar provided reviews of several treatments in the clinical development pipeline including AGTC's gene therapy clinical trials for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa and achromatopsia; SparingVision's emerging cone-saving and cone-restoring treatments for retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, and related conditions; gene-agnostic approaches for a variety of conditions, clinical trials underway for Stargardt disease, and new emerging gene therapies for Leber congenital amaurosis.
Presenters included:
- Daniel Chung, DO, Chief Medical Officer, SparingVision
- Bright Ashimatey, OD, PhD, FAAO, Clinical Research Scientist, AGTC
- Claire Gelfman, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness
- Ben Shaberman, Senior Director, Scientific Outreach, Foundation Fighting Blindness
Below is a recording of the webinar:
National Chapter Vision Webinar: Low Vision Resources
On Saturday, September 11, 2021, the Foundation Fighting Blindness held a National Vision Webinar on the topic of Low Vision and featured an all-star line-up of experts in low vision that included presentations on: orientation and mobility, occupational therapy, accommodations, and other services and resources.
Presenters included:
- Dawn DeCarlo, OD, PhD, MS MPH, University of Alabama Birmingham, Director of Low Vision Rehabilitation, Professor
- Susan Garber, OTR/L, Owner/CEO of Low Vision Skills Rehabilitation and Consulting, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia
- Ellen Bowman, MA, PhD, Research Coordinator, University of Alabama Birmingham School of Optometry
- Sam Seavey, Creator of The Blind Life YouTube Channel
- William Smith, OD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Below is a recording of the webinar:
National Chapter Vision Webinar: Clinical Trials
Hosted in part by Lindsey Blankenship, Chapter President, Foundation Fighting Blindness – Denver Chapter, the Foundation Fighting Blindness presented a free, national webinar on clinical trials. The event included an introduction to clinical trials provided by Ben Shaberman, the Foundation's senior director of scientific outreach, as well as presentations by the following speakers:
- Eddy Anglade, MD, vice president and clinical lead, retina at Janssen R&D US
- Paul Yang, MD, PhD, a clinical trial investigator at Oregon Health & Science University
- Samantha Vieira, MBA, BSc (Hons), executive director of ophthalmology at Biogen
Below is a recording of the webinar:
National Chapter Vision Webinar: Stem Cells
Hosted in part by Martha Steele, Chapter President, Foundation Fighting Blindness Boston Chapter, our panel of world-renowned stem cell researchers presented the latest in emerging stem-cell therapies for retinal degenerative diseases, including therapies in, or moving toward, clinical trials.
This webinar was moderated by Ben Shaberman, Senior Director of Scientific Outreach at the Foundation. Panelists included:
David M. Gamm, M.D., PhD
Emmett A. Humble Distinguished Director of the McPherson Eye Research Institute, the Sandra Lemke Trout Chair in Eye Research; Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Thomas A. Reh, PhD
Biological Structure Professor, Institute for Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine at the University of Washington
Michael J. Young, PhD
Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Director, Minda de Gunzburg Center for Retinal Regeneration; Harvard Medical School, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology; Co-Director, Ocular Regenerative Medicine Institute
National Chapter Vision Webinar:
Gene Therapy
Hosted in part by Davida Luehrs, Chapter President, Foundation Fighting Blindness Washington DC Chapter, the January 23rd gene therapy webinar featured a discussion of the many ways gene therapies can be used to address retinal degenerative diseases as well as the latest updates on gene therapy research and clinical trials.
Ben Shaberman, Senior Director of Scientific Outreach at the Foundation, provided the opening presentation. Ben also moderated a panel discussion that provided insights into emerging gene therapies and the latest technologies in the pipeline. Panelists included:
John Flannery, PhD
UC Berkeley, Scientific Co-Founder of Vedere
Shannon Boye, PhD
University of Florida, Scientific Co-founder of Atsena
Pete Adamson, PhD
Vice President of Janssen Ophthalmology Disease Stronghold Area
Vision Webinars – Spring 2020
Retinal Research Update – 4/18/2020
- Ben Shaberman
Senior Director, Scientific Outreach and Community Engagement
Genetic Testing and Genetic Counseling for Patients with IRD – May 9, 2020
- Kari Branham, MS, CGC, Clinical Assistant Professor, Genetic Counselor, Inherited Retinal Dystrophy Clinic, University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center
Vision Webinar Panel Discussion – March 28, 2020
- Ben Shaberman, Senior Director of Science Outreach and Community Engagement, Foundation Fighting Blindness
- Daniel C. Chung, DO, MA, Global Therapeutic Area Leader-Ophthalmology, Spark Therapeutics
- Susanna Soon-Chun Park, MD, PhD, Director of Vitreo-retinal Fellowship, Dept. of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Univ. of California, Davis
- David Rodman, MD, Executive Vice President of Research and Development, ProQR Therapeutics
Vision Webinar Panel Discussion – May 9, 2020
- Ben Shaberman, Senior Director, Science Outreach & Community Engagement, Foundation Fighting Blindness
- Tim Stout, MD, PhD, MBA, Director, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine
- Aniz Girach, MD, Chief Medical Officer, ProQR
- Kari Branham, MS, CGC, Clinical Assistant Professor, Genetic Counselor, Inherited Retinal Dystrophy Clinic, University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center
Vision Webinar Panel Discussion – April 18, 2020
- Ben Shaberman, Senior Director, Science Outreach & Community Engagement, Foundation Fighting Blindness
- Daniel C. Chung, DO, MA, Global Therapeutic Area Leader-Ophthalmology, Spark Therapeutics
- Jill Dolgin, PharmD, Head, Patient Advocacy, AGTC
- Gohar A. Salam, MD, Ophthalmology Specialist, Retina Institute of Indiana
Vision Webinar Panel Discussion – April 25
- Ben Shaberman, Senior Director, Science Outreach & Community Engagement, Foundation Fighting Blindness
- Dr. Tomás Aleman, MD, Ophthalmology Specialist, Scheie Eye Institute
- Friedrich Asmus, MD, Vice President of Clinical Development, ProQR
- Kari Branham, MS, CGC, Clinical Assistant Professor, Genetic Counselor, Inherited Retinal Dystrophy Clinic, University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center
