Distinguished Speaker Series

Ophthalmology Research Seminar: Distinguished Speaker Series

The Brunson Center for Translational Vision Research (BCTVR) Distinguished Speaker Series, often referred to as the "Friday Seminars," is a premier platform for showcasing groundbreaking research in vision science and ophthalmology from around the globe.

Since our foundation, the BCTVR, in collaboration with the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, has hosted this esteemed series, highlighting cutting-edge developments in ophthalmology research. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when most academic seminars were canceled, we swiftly adapted and transformed our series to a virtual format via Zoom, ensuring continuity and even expanding our reach.

Today, the series has evolved to feature expert lectures on a diverse array of topics, including Ophthalmology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Neurobiology, Imaging, Computational Sciences, and Novel Ophthalmic Treatments. The seminar series has also grown in scope, drawing an international audience of 80-300 attendees each week, connecting scholars and professionals from across the U.S. and around the world.

We invite you to join us every Friday from 8:30 am–10:00 am, both in person and online via Zoom, throughout the academic year.

For more information and Zoom details, email:
Anna Kiker, MBA, CRA or Grazyna Palczewska, PhD

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Speakers

Oct 02, 2026

The role of photoreceptor metabolism in age-related macular degeneration

Claudio Punzo, PhD, Associate Professor Ophthalmology, Vice Chair of Research Department of Ophthalmology, Neurobiology & Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMMS)

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Sep 25, 2026

Regulation of retinal membrane guanylyl cyclase in photoreceptor function, congenital diseases and potential approaches to gene therapy

Alexander Dizhoor, PhD, Hafter Chair Research Professor, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Professor for the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, College of Medicine

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Sep 18, 2026

Beyond night vision: the expanding role of rod photoreceptors in bright light

Matteo Rizzi, PhD, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, Moorfields Eye Hospital, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK

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Sep 11, 2026

Programming CNS cell types, connections and repair

George M. Church, PhD, Robert Winthrop Professor of Genetics & Health Sciences & Technology, Harvard Medical School/ MIT, Director of HMS NHGRI-Center of Excellence in Genomic Science, Director of Personal Genome Project, Broad Institute & Wyss Harvard

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Jun 05, 2026

No Seminar

The University of California, Irvine will be observing the summer recess break. We hope you have a wonderful and restful summer break!

May 29, 2026

When it hurts to look: A perspective through the eyes and into the mind

Cherlyn Ng, PhD, Assistant Professor, Cognitive Sciences School of Social Sciences, University of California Irvine

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May 22, 2026

Searching for Elusive Causality in Retinal Disease

Kinga Bujakowska, PhD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Eye and Ear

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May 15, 2026

Expanding Beyond the Visual Cycle: Convergent Pharmacology of Retinal Clearance in Macular Degeneration

Konstantin Petrukhin, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmic Science, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

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May 08, 2026

CRB1 and EYS: From Human Cohorts and Disease Models to Gene Therapy

Celso Henrique Freitas Alves, PhD, Assistant Researcher, Vision Sciences/Gene Editing, Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia (CiBB), University of Coimbra

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