StoneRounds is a web-based resource (www.stonerounds.org) for improving your knowledge of inherited retinal diseases.  

It consists of an atlas of over 300 molecularly-confirmed cases, a “clinic simulator” in which you can pit your diagnostic skills against the computer (and get constructive feedback if you are wrong), some basic tutorials for beginners, and even a section of career advice for physicians and scientists (Success Camp).  The case content of StoneRounds also serves as the basis for live, Zoom-based clinical teaching sessions that anyone with an interest in inherited retinal disease is welcome to attend.  These teaching sessions are 60-90 minutes in length and are held an average of 4 times per month.  

The schedule for the live sessions can be found at: https://stonerounds.org/teaching/schedule.  If you create a (free) account on the website you can choose to be reminded about upcoming sessions by email.

NIH K12 Vision Scientist Program. Inherited Retinal Degeneration Fellowship.

University of Pennsylvania

Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute

This fellowship is open only to US residents or citizens. Senior residents or subspecialty fellows who are finishing their training in June 2024 and available to start the fellowship in July or early August 2024 can apply. Ophthalmologists who are already in clinical practice are also eligible. This fellowship will have a focus on translational clinical-research and clinical exposure to the diagnosis and management of genetic eye diseases at the Retinal Degeneration Centers of the Scheie Eye Institute and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The fellowship can be supported by a K12 grant from the NIH/NEI. The candidate will be assessed by the K12 Program of the Dept. of Ophthalmology of the University of Pennsylvania. Acceptance will depend on availability of a slot and the candidates’ qualifications. The recipient will receive a salary and benefits at a PGY5 level of training. The fellow must be eligible for a full Pennsylvania license to practice medicine. K12 Scholars are permitted to spend up to 25% of their effort in patient care. The other 75% is for research that could involve seeing research patients or doing bench research.

Interested physicians who chose to forgo involvement in direct patient care can still apply to the K12 program directly for a retinal degeneration research fellowship without a deadline. Similarly, this is a competitive fellowship position that depends on the availability of a position through the K12 program and on the qualifications of the candidate.

Please contact Dr. Tomas S. Aleman directly for additional information at aleman@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

ISGEDR Joint Meeting 2023 – SÃO PAULO, July 6-8, 2023

It is an honor for the International Society for Genetic Eye Diseases and Retinoblastoma to invite you all to Sao Paulo for the ISGEDR MEETING 2023.

For the first time in South America, our biannual meeting will take place from July 6th to 8th, 2023 in cosmopolitan São Paulo, Brazil, at CUBO, Latin America’s biggest innovation, healthtech startups and entrepreneurship hub.

Considering the 2021 hybrid format of the ISGEDR meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, we chose the same format for 2023.

Together with well-known international speakers who will participate in the meeting, we will have the chance to listen and interact with the clinicians and scientists that have described a great number of eye genes and whose clinical practices center on the management of patients with ophthalmic genetic disorders.

Juliana M. Ferraz Sallum, MD
President – ISGEDR MEETING 2023

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM MAIN TOPICS:

• New phenotypes
• Molecular diagnosis
• Gene sequencing new technologies
• Bioinformatics and Variant patient registries
• Molecular mechanisms
• Gene therapies in development and Luxturna phase IV
• Cell therapy
• Artificial Intelligence
• Visual prosthesis
• Genetic counseling

Since rare disease patient rights, inclusion and disabilities are essential values for our group, those issues will be largely discussed with international patient groups and associations such as  Foundation Fighting Blindness, Retina International, Retina Brasil, Retina Iberoamericana, as well as specific gene study groups. We believe those themes and its humanitarian aspects of inclusion and patient experience will create great connection with the CUBO innovation community generating good questions, building understanding and fostering collaboration.

REGISTRATION:

March 6th is the opening for online and in person registration

ABSTRACT ONLINE SUBMISSION:

Opening: Feb 16
Deadline for submission: March 20
Communication to the authors: April 15

HOTEL RESERVATION & VISA INFORMATION

Opening: March 20