Registration and Abstract Submission

The UTSW Department of Ophthalmology presents the inaugural Southwestern Vision Science Summit, a regional forum for scientists in vision-related fields to present their findings and facilitate the development of professional contacts.

Keynote Speaker and Session Chairs
 

Jeffrey M. Gross, Ph.D. - Keynote Speaker
Dr. Gross is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Texas at Austin. The Gross Lab focuses on vertebrate eye development, disease modeling and regeneration utilizing the zebrafish as a model system. Combining forward genetic screens with reverse genetic and embryological manipulations we hope to understand the molecular, cellular and developmental events that regulate eye formation and visual function, ocular diseases and regenerative responses. Current areas of interest in the lab include studies focusing on the development of the retina, lens and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), elucidation of the cellular mechanisms that regulate ocular morphogenesis, the molecular regulation of retina and RPE regeneration and neuroprotection. Our research combines molecular, cellular, genomic, biochemical, transgenic and in vivo imaging techniques to address these questions. It is our hope that these studies will ultimately lead to a better understanding of visual system disorders and the development of new therapeutic interventions.

Melanie Samuel, Ph.D. - Session Chair
Dr. Samuel is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine and an Investigator at the Duncan Neurological Research Institute in Houston, Texas. She completed her PhD at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and postdoctoral training at Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Recent breakthroughs in understanding visual and brain disorders have highlighted surprising roles for non-neuronal cells -- such as glial cells and blood vessels -- in neuron health and resilience.  The Samuel lab focuses on investigating how interactions between neurons and these other brain cell types affect development and disease outcomes. The Samuel lab integrates analyses of human and mouse brain models for advancing disease treatments by combining genetic, molecular, and cellular approaches using human pluripotent cell-derived systems, in vivo mouse models of disease, and advanced imaging approaches. By uncovering shared mechanisms across neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy, the Samuel lab aims to identify conserved therapeutic targets for broad-impact interventions. Additionally, the lab works to uncover pathways that enhance neuronal resilience in critical neural circuits, with the goal of improving the survival of both vulnerable endogenous neurons and transplanted neurons in preclinical therapeutic approaches.

Muna Naash, Ph.D. - Session Chair
Dr. Muna Naash is the John S. Dunn Endowed Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. She earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Baylor College of Medicine, followed by postdoctoral training in Ophthalmology at the Cullen Eye Institute, also at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Naash is widely recognized as an authority on genetic mutations underlying hereditary retinal diseases. Her multidisciplinary research program integrates molecular bioengineering, ocular and auditory biology, and chemistry to uncover the mechanisms of vision and hearing loss in retinal degenerations and Usher Syndrome Type 2A (USH2A). A central focus of her work is the development of non-viral gene therapy platforms designed to restore vision and hearing, particularly for disorders caused by large genes that exceed the packaging limits of viral delivery systems. Over the past several decades, Dr. Naash has achieved both national and international recognition for her pioneering contributions and has maintained an impressive, federally funded research portfolio. Her current work is supported by multiple NIH/NEI grants (extending through 2030), the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), and the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation.

Yuqing Huo, M.D., Ph.D. - Session Chair
Dr. Huo is a Professor and Danny B. Jones Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He is also a Professor in the Department of Medicine - Section of Cardiovascular Research, and Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Huo earned his PhD from Beiging Medical University (Peking University) and completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Research interests of Dr. Huo's group focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying the interaction between vascular cells and leukocytes/immune cells that contribute to the development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Specifically, Dr. Huo's group investigates the metabolic pathways that control leukocyte recruitment and activation, endothelial inflammation, the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts, as well as the mesenchymal transition of these cells in disease progression. By studying the metabolic and inflammatory processes underlying these diseases, Dr. Huo's group aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of these conditions and pave the way for developing novel therapeutic interventions for these vascular-related diseases.

Schedule

Friday, March 27
5:30 pm -- Dinner and Networking (Venue to be announced)

Saturday, March 28
7:30 am -- Breakfast

8:00 am to 4:30 pm -- Scientific Sessions and Poster Presentations

• Session I: Session Chair, Melanie Samuel, Ph.D.
• Session II: Session Chair, Muna Naash, Ph.D.
• Session III: Session Chair, Yuqing Huo, M.D., Ph.D.

4:30 pm -- Awards and Closing