ABSTRACT 4th International Biennial Ocular Regeneration Symposium, September 24, 2020 Funds are requested to support The 4th International Biennial Ocular Regeneration Symposium: From Bench to Bedside to be held September 24, 2020 in Boston, Mass. The meeting is co-organized by Drs. Michael Young. PhD and Demetrios G. Vavvas, MD, PhD, Associate Professors at Harvard Medial School and Co-Directors of the Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology Ocular Regenerative Medical Institute. This meeting builds on the strong successes of the first three biennial meetings held in October of 2014, 2016, and 2018. Degenerative eye diseases, such as AMD and retinitis pigmentosa, affect millions of people and result in the majority of irreversible blindness in the developed world. Ophthalmology has been at the forefront of gene therapy and tissue regeneration with the first in medicine approval for genetic therapy for Leber’s congenital amaurosis, and multiple clinical trials of cell transplantation with promising results. These promising advances are not without significant challenges surrounding them; this will be the theme of the symposium. The goal of this conference is to stimulate discussion and collaborations aimed at elucidating the advances at the bench, how to move into clinical trials, and the effects on patient care. This meeting provides significant time for discussion, among the audience with speakers who study the principles of tissue regeneration, including outside of ophthalmology. Bringing scientists together from both within and outside the field of ophthalmology will lead to cross-pollination and act as a catalyst for further collaboration. Keynote Speaker will be Prof. Douglas Melton PhD the Xander University Professor at Harvard College and Co-director of Harvard's Stem Cell Institute. Sample topics to be covered include: “regeneration of retinal ganglion cells and the optic nerve”, “photoreceptor precursor transplantation”, “retinal pigment epithelium regeneration”, “corneal epithelium regeneration”, and others. The symposium has active trainee participation and aims to inspire the next generation of scientists. This grant will be used to encourage the new generation of scientists, and travel awards will be provided to attract graduate students and fellows, with a particular emphasis on under-represented minorities and persons with disabilities.