Distinguished Speaker Series Home Distinguished Speaker Series Ophthalmology Research Seminar: Distinguished Speaker Series The Center for Translational Vision Research (CTVR) 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 CTVR, 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 To stay updated with the latest details,Subscribe to our emails Speakers Oct 17, 2025 Chemical and synthetic neurobiology Bryan Roth, MD, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School with Joint Appointment in Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry and Director in Program in Translational Proteomics, UNC-Chapel Hill Profile view event details Oct 10, 2025 The fate of all-trans retinal in human photoreceptors Yiannis Koutalos, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Ophthalmology Profile view event details Oct 03, 2025 Five vignettes in search of the clinical photoreceptor: How many cones are needed for vision? Paul A. Sieving, MD, PhD, Neil and MJ Kelly Presidential Chair, Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of Clinical Service for Inherited Retinal Dystrophies, University of California, Davis Profile view event details Sep 26, 2025 Inositol metabolism and eye development and disease Yang Sun, MD, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine, Vice Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford Profile view event details Sep 19, 2025 No Seminar See you at the 2025 Symposium - Breaking Barriers: Trailblazing Innovations in Medical Research! VIEW EVENT DETAILS Sep 12, 2025 Gene editing for the treatment of glaucoma Gulab Zode, PhD, Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Robert M. Brunson Center for Translational Vision Research, Gavin Herbert Eye Institute Profile VIEW EVENT DETAILS Sep 05, 2025 Thyroid hormone and sensory development: More than meets the eye Douglas Forrest, PhD Senior Investigator at NIDDK, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland Profile view event details Previously Recorded Seminars If you missed some of our Distinguished Speaker Seminars, no worries! You can watch previously recorded seminars. 2024 Recorded Distinguished Speaker Seminars 2023 Recorded Distinguished Speaker Seminars 2022 Recorded Distinguished Speaker Seminars 2021 Recorded Distinguished Speaker Seminars 2020 Recorded Distinguished Speaker Seminars