7th Biennial Symposium on AMD

Project Summary Funds are requested to support The Seventh Biennial Symposium on Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) to be held October 24-25, 2025, at the Boston Marriott in Cambridge, MA. The meeting is co-organized by Dr. Patricia A. D’Amore, Professor of Ophthalmology and Vice Chair of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School; Dr. Ivana Kim, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and a retinal specialist at MEE; Dr. Deeba Husain, Professor of Ophthalmology and Site Director, MEE Retina Consultants and Dr. Joan W Miller, Professor and Chief of Ophthalmology at Mass Eye and Ear. This meeting will build on the strong successes of six previous biennial meetings that were held in September 2010, September 2012, October 2014, October 2016, October 2018 and September 2023. AMD is a devastating blinding disease with limited treatment options. As the elderly population grows, the prevalence of AMD will increase along with high social and financial costs associated with caring for those with low-vision. Given the incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis of AMD, the Symposium on AMD is a timely and important meeting. The goal of this conference is to bring together international experts who offer novel data and stimulate discussion about how to treat, cure, and ultimately prevent AMD. This meeting attracts close to 200 attendees, consisting of senior and junior scientists, graduate trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and biotechnology/pharmaceutical representatives. Topics to be covered in this year’s symposium include parainflammation, imaging and AI, novel therapeutic approaches, pathogenesis, extracellular matrix and drusen, and the intersection of epidemiology and multiomics. Funds are requested to support the trainee attendance and provide 15 trainees with travel awards to cover their registration, airfare and accommodations. There will be a dinner on Friday October 25th, which will include the presentation of posters by travel award winners, providing trainees and young faculty with an opportunity to showcase their research. This meeting is distinct from other meetings on AMD in its format, which allows about half of the of scheduled time for discussion. An additional unique feature is the inclusion of at least one speaker from other fields whose impact on AMD has not yet been realized. Dr. Phil Rosenfeld will present the Keynote Friedman lecture.