# 4th Harvard Biennial International Ocular Regeneration Symposium: From Bench to Bedside

> **NIH NIH R13** · MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY · 2020 · $24,000

## Abstract

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.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10069446
- **Project number:** 1R13EY031922-01
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
- **Principal Investigator:** Demetrios Vavvas
- **Activity code:** R13 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $24,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2023-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10069446

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10069446, 4th Harvard Biennial International Ocular Regeneration Symposium: From Bench to Bedside (1R13EY031922-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10069446. Licensed CC0.

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