# Breakfast with the Experts May 5 | 7 - 8:30am MT | Colorado Convention Center Breakfast with the Experts is your chance during the Annual Meeting to meet with subject experts for in-depth conversations in a small group setting. Experts will host a table, give guidance, and answer questions on a specific theme. Browse the table topics and sign up for the one you in which you are most interested. - _Registration — $20_ **Registration for Breakfast with the Experts is open**. Sign up when you [**register for the Annual Meeting**](/content/annual-meeting/registration/index.html). - If registered for ARVO 2026 already, you may [add a table to your current registration](/content/uploads/files/general/Annual-Meeting/Instructions-for-adding-session-to-your-2026-Annual-Meeting_registration.pdf). --- ### **Table A** — FULL #### **Evaluating emerging retinal biomarkers: Clinical relevance and implications** ##### **Manuel Amador, MD** _Senior Medical Director_ _US Medical Affairs, Ophthalmology_ _Genentech, Inc._ _(San Francisco, Calif.)_ A retina specialist, Amador has extensive experience leading and contributing to multiple clinical trials in retinal diseases. His expertise spans advanced retinal imaging analyses, and he collaborates with his team to leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to gain deeper insights into treatment effects on the retina. Amador is passionate about translating imaging data into clinically meaningful outcomes to improve patient care and inform the development of novel therapies. --- ### **Table B**— FULL #### **IL-6 and uveitic macular edema** ##### **Kathryn L. Pepple, MD, PhD** _Associate Professor of Ophthalmology_ _University of Washington School of Medicine_ _(Seattle, Wash.)_ Pepple serves as the director of Clinical Research and the Uveitis Fellowship at the University of Washington. She earned her MD and PhD degrees from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Tex. She subsequently completed ophthalmology residency and a medical retina fellowship at Duke University followed by a uveitis fellowship at the University of Washington. Pepple practices as a clinician scientist, taking care of patients with retinal and ocular inflammatory disease and running a basic science research laboratory studying experimental models of autoimmune uveitis and AAV mediated gene therapy associated uveitis. Her translational research program focuses on developing quantitative biomarkers of disease in patients with uveitis using swept source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) and immunologic analysis of aqueous samples. Pepple’s research has been supported by the NIH as well as awards from several foundations. --- ### **Table C**— FULL #### **How to become a champion for academic/industry/government relationships to enhance innovation** ##### **Mayur Choudhary, PhD** _Principal Scientist_ _Opus Genetics_ _(Durham, NC)_ Choudhary is a translational scientist with over 12 years of expertise spanning academia and the biotechnology industry. Currently serving as the director of Discovery and Translational Medicine at Opus Genetics, he leads ocular gene therapy programs from discovery through IND-enabling studies. Choudhary has championed cross-sector collaboration by successfully integrating academic mechanistic insights with industry-driven therapeutic innovation to develop gene therapy programs. --- ### **Table D** #### **Work-life integration** ##### **Debasish Sinha, PhD** _Frieda Derdeyn Bambas Professor of Ophthalmology_ _The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine_ _(Baltimore, Md.)_ Sinha's research focuses on retinal biology and age-related macular degeneration. He previously served as the Jennifer Salvitti Davis Professor in Ophthalmology Research at the University of Pittsburgh. With over 20 years of experience balancing an internationally recognized research program with mentorship and academic leadership, Sinha brings valuable insights on navigating career advancement while maintaining personal well-being. --- ### **Table E** #### **Work-life integration** ##### **Tasneem Sharma, PhD** _Assistant Professor_ _Indiana University School of Medicine_ _(Indianapolis, IN)_ Sharma is vice chair of Strategic Engagement and an assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, leading initiatives in interdisciplinary collaboration, inclusive excellence, and trainee mentorship. Her research program focuses on mechanisms of glaucoma-related neurodegeneration and the effects of spaceflight-relevant environmental stressors. --- ### **Table F** #### **Increasing awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion in ophthalmology** ##### **Inderjeet Kaur, PhD** _Research Scientist_ _L V Prasad Eye Institute_ _(Hyderabad, India)_ Kaur is a research scientist working with multi-omics technologies at the L V Prasad Eye Institute. Her academic contributions focus on dissecting the underlying molecular mechanisms in neovascularization, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration for retinal vascular diseases. Additionally, she has served as the executive council member and general Secretary of the Indian Society of Human Genetics and developed multiple programs. --- ### **Table G** — FULL #### **Combining clinical practice, clinical research and basic science - can you do it all?** ##### **Lynn Hassman, MD, PhD** _Assistant Professor_ _University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine_ _(Aurora, Colo.)_ Hassman is a clinician-scientist and uveitis specialist at the University of Colorado. Her clinical practice focuses on the medical management of uveitis, and she leads a translational immunology laboratory studying the mechanisms underlying uveitis pathogenesis. --- ### **Table H** — FULL #### **Tips on starting your own laboratory** ##### **Andrea S. Viczian, PhD** _Associate Professor_ _Upstate Medical University_ _State University of New York (SUNY)_ _(Syracuse, NY)_ Viczian's research focuses on retinal development and angiogenesis. She established her laboratory nearly 20 years ago and has assisted colleagues in setting up their laboratories. --- ### **Table I**— FULL #### **How to make yourself visible: Learning to self-promote and advocate** ##### **Rinki Ratnapriya, PhD** _Assistant Professor_ _Department of Ophthalmology_ _Baylor College of Medicine_ _(Houston, Tex.)_ Ratnapriya's research focuses on identifying causal genes and variants in neurodegenerative disorders leading to vision loss. She is a recipient of several honors for her work. --- ### **Table J**— FULL #### **How to survive as a young investigator** ##### **Fiona McDonnell, PhD** _Assistant Professor_ _John A. Moran Eye Center_ _University of Utah_ _(Salt Lake City, Utah)_ McDonnell's primary research area is in glaucoma, focusing on conventional outflow physiology. --- ### **Table K**— FULL #### **How to succeed as a woman in vision research** ##### **M. Francesca Cordeiro, MBBS, PhD, FARVO** _Chair of Ophthalmology, Imperial College London_ _Professor, University College London_ _Honorary Consultant, Western Eye Hospital London_ _(London, England)_ Cordeiro is a clinician-scientist focusing on translational approaches to saving sight with over 190 peer-reviewed publications. --- ### **Table L**— FULL #### **How to succeed as a woman in vision research** ##### **Jessica Morgan, PhD, FARVO** _Carolyn F. Jones Associate Professor of Ophthalmology II_ _Scheie Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology_ _University of Pennsylvania_ _(Philadelphia, Pa.)_ Morgan's current research is devoted to using high-resolution ophthalmoscopy to investigate pathogenesis in retinal disease. --- ### **Table M**— FULL #### **How to succeed as a woman in vision research** ##### **Christine A. Curcio, PhD, FARVO** _White-McKee Endowed Professor in Ophthalmology_ _Heersink School of Medicine_ _University of Alabama at Birmingham_ _(Birmingham, Ala.)_ Curcio's research focuses on age-related macular degeneration, making significant contributions to the pathophysiology of the disease. --- ### **Table N**— FULL #### **Funding opportunities for young scientists** ##### **Padmanabhan P. Pattabiraman, PhD** _Associate Professor_ _Indiana University School of Medicine_ _(Indianapolis, IN)_ Pattabiraman's research investigates compartmentalized metabolism and cellular mechanobiology in glaucoma. --- ##### **Neeraj Agarwal, PhD FARVO** _Director, Training and Career Development_ _National Eye Institute (NEI)/National Institutes of Health (NIH)_ _(Bethesda, Md.)_ Agarwal's expertise includes managing career development programs within NEI/NIH. --- ### **Table O** — FULL #### **How to build successful collaborations** ##### **Amani A. Fawzi, MD, FARVO** _Cyrus Tang and Lee Jampol Professor of Ophthalmology_ _Feinberg School of Medicine_ _Northwestern University_ _(Chicago, Ill.)_ Fawzi is a vitreoretinal surgeon with extensive publications and contributions to imaging research. --- ### **Table P**— FULL #### **Transitioning from Academia to Industry** ##### **Hemant Khanna, PhD, FARVO** _Associate Professor_ _UMass Chan Medical School;_ _Team Lead Ophthalmology Research_ _Astellas Pharma_ _(Worcester, Mass.)_ Khanna specializes in drug development, leading innovative therapeutic programs. --- ### **Table Q** — FULL #### **Thinking outside the box: Alternative careers for the clinician-scientist or researcher** ##### **Dimitri T. Azar, MD, MBA, FARVO** _Professor of Ophthalmology_ _University of Illinois at Chicago_ _(Chicago, Ill.)_ Azar is recognized for advances in refractive surgery and corneal diseases. --- ### **Table R** #### **Thinking outside the box: Alternative careers for the clinician-scientist or researcher** ##### **Brahim Chaqour, PhD** _Associate Professor_ _University of Pennsylvania_ _(Philadelphia, Pa.)_ Chaqour focuses on neurovascular tissues and their implications in ocular disease. ##### **Ahmara Gibbons Ross, MD, PhD** _Associate Professor in Ophthalmology and Neurology_ _University of Pennsylvania_ _(Philadelphia, Pa.)_ Ross leads a lab focused on optic nerve degeneration and neuroprotection strategies. --- ### **Table S** #### **Pearls for effective science communication** ##### **Miranda Scalabrino, PhD** _Assistant Professor_ _Medical College of Wisconsin_ _(Milwaukee, Wisc.)_ Scalabrino’s work focuses on improving therapies for blindness and effective science communication. --- ### **Table T** #### **How and when to search for a postdoctoral fellowship** ##### **T.J. Hollingsworth, PhD** _Asst. Professor of Ophthalmology, Anatomy and Neurobiology, Microbiology, Immunology & Biochemistry, and Cancer Developmental Biology_ _Hamilton Eye Institute_ _The University of Tennessee Health Science Center_ _(Memphis, Tenn.)_ Hollingsworth focuses on developing therapeutic strategies for ocular diseases. ##### **Priyanka Roy, PhD, MSc, BTech** _Postdoctoral Associate_ _Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine_ _Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago_ _(Chicago, Ill.)_ Roy is researching retinal OCT image segmentation for ophthalmic disease detection. --- ### **Table U** — FULL #### **Running a successful clinical research group** ##### **R. V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA, FACS** _Department Head; John H. Panton, MD Professor of Ophthalmology_ _Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary_ _University of Illinois Chicago_ _(Chicago, Ill.)_ Chan focuses on pediatric retinal disease and technology utilization in evaluations. --- ### **Table V** — FULL #### **Applying to ophthalmology residency programs - U.S.** ##### **Katherine Talcott, MD** _Retinal Surgeon_ _Cole Eye Institute_ _Cleveland Clinic_ _(Cleveland, Ohio)_ Talcott is a staff vitreoretinal surgeon and an associate professor of ophthalmology. --- ### **Table W** — FULL #### **Applying to ophthalmology residency programs following international training** ##### **Sun Young Lee, MD, PhD, FARVO** _Associate Professor_ _USC Roski Eye Institute_ _Keck Medicine of USC_ _(Los Angeles, Calif.)_ Lee focuses on developing ocular therapeutics and educating new professionals in the field. --- ### **Table X** — FULL #### **How to succeed as a clinician-scientist** ##### **Cynthia A. Toth, MD, FARVO** _Joseph A.C. Wadsworth Professor of Ophthalmology;_ _Professor of Biomedical Engineering_ _Duke University_ _(Durham, NC)_ Toth’s research involves integrating OCT imaging for retinal microsurgery techniques. --- ### **Table Y** — FULL #### **How to succeed as a clinician-scientist** ##### **Stephen Tsang, MD, PhD, FARVO** _Professor of Ophthalmology, Pathology and Cell Biology_ _Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute_ _Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC)_ _(New York, NY)_ Tsang advocates for phototransduction research among patients with RP and Stargardt disease. --- ### **Table Z** #### **Patent tips: How to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls** ##### **Monica Jablonski, PhD, FARVO** _Hamilton Endowed Professor of Ophthalmology;_ _Associate Dean of Postdoctoral Affairs_ _Department of Ophthalmology_ _College of Medicine - Memphis_ _(Memphis, Tenn.)_ Jablonski is a key figure in visual sciences education and patent expertise. --- ### **Table AA** — FULL #### **The art and science of successful grant writing - U.S.** ##### **Kevin C. Chan, PhD, FARVO** _Associate Professor of Ophthalmology_ _Stanford School of Medicine_ _Stanford University_ _(Stanford, Calif.)_ Chan is focused on developing non-invasive imaging methods for guiding vision preservation. --- ### **Table AB** — FULL #### **The art and science of successful grant writing - U.S.** ##### **Vallabh Das, PhD, FARVO** _Moores Professor and Chair, Department of Vision Sciences_ _College of Optometry_ _University of Houston_ _(Houston, Tex.)_ Das has maintained NIH funding for research in oculomotor system neuroscience. --- ### **Table AC** — FULL #### **The art and science of successful grant writing - International** ##### **Timothy W. Corson, PhD, FARVO** _Professor; Co-Director_ _Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy_ _University of Toronto_ _(Toronto, Ontario, Canada)_ Corson’s lab focuses on drug discovery for retinal diseases with extensive mentoring experience. --- ### **Table AD** — FULL #### **Juggling clinical responsibilities and scientific research in the early years** ##### **Glenn Yiu, MD, PhD** _Professor_ _Department of Ophthalmology_ _UC Davis Health_ _University of California, Davis_ _(Davis, Calif.)_ Yiu’s research includes gene therapy and ocular imaging, contributing to pioneering therapy approaches. --- ### **Table AE** #### **Conflict management: How to smoothen the career path** ##### **Suchismita Acharya, PhD** _Assistant Professor_ _Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience;_ _North Texas Eye Research Institute, UNT Health_ _(Fort Worth, Tex.)_ Acharya focuses on developing novel therapies for ocular, neurological conditions and mentoring trainees. --- ### **Table AF** #### **Breaking international barriers for successful career progression** ##### **Uloma Ubani-Ukoma, B.Pharm, MSc, PhD** _Senior Lecturer_ _Department of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology_ _Faculty of Pharmacy_ _University of Lagos_ _(Lagos, Nigeria)_ Ubani-Ukoma focuses on ophthalmic drug delivery and has received various prestigious fellowships. --- ### **Table AG** #### _**New!**_ **Immigrant Trainees and the U.S. Career Labyrinth/Training in a foreign environment** ##### **Michael Telias, MSc, PhD** _Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Neuroscience_ _School of Medicine & Dentistry_ _University of Rochester_ _(Rochester, NY)_ Telias offers insights into challenges faced by international scholars in academic research. --- ### **Table AH** — FULL #### _**New!**_ **How to succeed as a basic scientist in a clinical world** ##### **Daniel R. Saban, PhD, FARVO** _Joseph A.C. Wadsworth Professor of Ophthalmology, Integrative Immunobiology and Pathology_ _Duke University School of Medicine_ _(Durham, NC)_ Saban focuses on ocular immunology and provides insights on novel therapeutic strategies. --- ### **Table AI** #### _**New!**_ **How to progress from a mentee to mentor** ##### **Ashok Kumar, PhD, FARVO** _Professor_ _Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences_ _Wayne State University School of Medicine_ _(Detroit, Mich.)_ Kumar shares insights on successful mentor-mentee relationships and career transitions in academia.