16^th Annual

2024 Midwest Eye Research Symposium

Supported by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness to the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

Keynote Speaker/Session Chairs

Leonard Levin, MD, PhD - Keynote Speaker
Dr. Levin is a professor in the Departments of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and Neurology & Neurosurgery at McGill University. His work focuses on axonal damage-induced retinal ganglion cell loss, particularly related to optic nerve diseases. Dr. Levin employs advanced imaging techniques to study cell death signaling in the retina, aiming to develop new drugs for optic nerve and retinal diseases. He actively participates in clinical trials for neuroprotective therapies in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies. Dr. Levin has authored over 170 peer-reviewed papers, reviews, and book chapters, along with four issued patents related to eye disease. He has edited textbooks in ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology and holds leadership roles in scientific committees focused on vision restoration.
His achievements were recognized with the ARVO Mildred Weisenfeld Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology in 2023.

Machelle T. Pardue, PhD - Session Chair
Dr. Pardue is a Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, and a Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Emory University. One focus of Dr. Pardue's research is the detection and treatment of early-stage diabetic retinopathy by investigating neuronal, vascular, and neuro-vascular defects in rodent models of diabetes using functional and imaging techniques. Notably, they’ve found that the electroretinogram (ERG), a non-invasive recording of retinal activity, is delayed in diabetic rodents and patients without visible vascular defects.
A second area of study focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying refractive eye growth and myopia. The lab investigates the roles of different retinal cell types and pathways, including photoreceptors (rods, cones, and intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells), as well as the ON and OFF pathways.

Elizabeth A. Berger, PhD - Session Chair
Dr. Berger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine, where she focuses on disease pathogenesis and the interplay between the immune and neuroendocrine systems. Her research investigates ocular infectious diseases and diabetic retinopathy using various techniques, including molecular, cellular, and immunohistochemical methods.

Elliott Sohn, MD - Session Chair
Dr. Sohn is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa. His research centers on the genetics and immunology to neovascular ‘wet’ age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinal disease and inherited retinal diseases. He has served as an investigator for numerous gene therapy trials in humans, and develops novel instruments for scaffold-based photoreceptor cell restoration treatment. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Macula Society’s 2021 Young Investigator Award.

Preliminary Program

Thursday, August 8, 2024

Friday August 9, 2024

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Dr. Kuehn in advance at 319-335-9565.

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