# 2026 Achievement Award Lectures

May 4 & 6 | 8:30 - 10am MT | Colorado Convention Center

## **Monday, May 4**

### **Proctor Medal Lecture**

##### **8:30 - 9:15AM**—Colorado Convention Center  **Shooting in the Dark, a Translational Odyssey**  
**José-Alain Sahel, MD, FARVO**  
_Endowed Distinguished Professor_  
_Chairman of Ophthalmology_  
_University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)_

Attempts to protect or restore functional vision in retinal degenerations face multiple challenges, including the multiplicity and complexity of causative mutations and the status of remaining cells at the time of treatment. We developed gene-independent approaches to:

1. protect cone photoreceptor cells, based on the identification of Rod-derived Cone Viability Factor (with the late Thierry Léveillard and Saddek Mohand-Said),

2. in advanced stages, reactivate remaining dormant cones or retinal ganglion cells using optogenetics (with Botond Roska, Serge Picaud, Deniz Dalkara, Isabelle Audo, Joseph Martel,…), and

3. retinal implants (with Daniel Palanker, Yannick LeMer, Serge Picaud, …).

After multiple setbacks, these led to clinical proof-of-concept trials, paving the way towards regulatory approval. Higher-resolution vision restoration is underway through collaborative academic efforts (Leah Byrne, Morgan DiLeo, Joseph Martel, Valentina Emiliani…) and constructive partnerships with industry. Understanding and assessing patient needs, expectations, and input are essential for developing clinically meaningful endpoints relevant to daily activities.

### **Friedenwald Award Lecture**

##### **9:15 - 10AM**—Colorado Convention Center  **The First 40 Years of Molecular Ophthalmology**

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| --- | --- |
| **Val Sheffield, MD, PhD**<br>_Professor of Pediatrics, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences_<br>_Director, Interdepartmental Research Program in Human Molecular Genetics_<br>_University of Iowa_<br> | **Edwin M. Stone, MD, PhD, FARVO**<br>_Professor of Ophthalmology_<br>_Director, Institute for Vision Research_<br>_University of Iowa_<br> |

This lecture will describe the progress of molecular ophthalmology from the early days of linkage analysis and positional cloning to the current era of next generation sequencing and gene directed therapies. The lecture will be divided into two parts: the first half will focus on heritable glaucoma and diseases of the sensory cilium and second half will focus on heritable diseases of the outer retina.

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## **Wednesday, May 6**

### **Weisenfeld Award Lecture**

##### **8:30 - 9:15AM**—Colorado Convention Center  **From Clinic to Evidence: Advancing Research in Ocular Infection and Inflammation**  
**Nisha Acharya, MD, MS**  
_Elizabeth C. Proctor Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics_  
_University of California San Francisco_  
_Director, Uveitis and Ocular Inflammatory Disease Service_  
_F.I. Proctor Foundation_

Acharya will present her research translating clinical experience into rigorous studies in ocular inflammatory and infectious diseases. She will highlight her prospective clinical trials in uveitis, evaluating the comparative effectiveness of treatment strategies to optimize disease control and long-term patient outcomes. She will also discuss her population-level research on herpes zoster ophthalmicus, examining disease burden, complications, and the real-world impact of vaccination on ocular and neurologic health.

These distinct research programs illustrate how patient-centered clinical observations can drive evidence-based investigations that advance understanding and guide therapeutic decision-making. Together, they demonstrate how clinical observations at the bedside can translate into research that meaningfully impacts patient care and clinical practice.

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### **Cogan Award Lecture**

##### **9:15 - 10AM**—Colorado Convention Center  **The Advent of Big Data and Machine Learning in Ophthalmology**

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| --- | --- |
| **Cecilia S. Lee, MD, MS**<br>_Jane Hardesty Poole Endowed Professor_<br>_John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences_<br>_WashU Medicine_<br>_Washington University in St. Louis_<br> | **Aaron Y. Lee, MD, MSCI**<br>_Chair, John F. Hardesty, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences_<br>_WashU Medicine_<br>_Washington University in St. Louis_<br> |

In the past 20 years, the field of ophthalmology has seen a dramatic shift in how we approach clinical research with the rise of new analytical tools and the availability of large datasets. In this lecture, we summarize our contributions to the field where we have used big data and machine learning to advance our understanding of ocular diseases, specifically in the areas of retinal imaging and oculomics.