Regenerative medicine holds tremendous potential for restoring vision loss in glaucoma. What are the obstacles and how far are we from clinical trials? In this webinar, Dr. Johnson will discuss the current state-of-the-art relating to optic nerve regeneration, and the hurdles we face in actually restoring vision for patients suffering from glaucoma. We will also learn about an exciting international collaboration, currently underway, that aims to accelerate the clinical translation of this exciting prospect.
Dr. Thomas V. Johnson is a clinician-scientist and the Allan and Shelly Holt Rising Professor of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins. He completed his PhD in neuroscience at the University of Cambridge (UK) where his doctoral research involved directing a collaborative project between a stem cell laboratory at Cambridge and a molecular biology laboratory in the National Eye Institute’s NIH intramural research program, studying mesenchymal stem cell transplantation as a potential neuroprotective treatment for glaucoma. He has been at Johns Hopkins since 2010 where he completed medical school, ophthalmology residency, and glaucoma fellowship, and served as the Wilmer Eye Institute’s Assistant Chief of Service (ACS).Dr. Johnson is a glaucoma specialist and treats patients in the clinic and OR for 1-2 days per week. The remainder of his time is spent in his translational neuroscience laboratory where is he investigating retinal ganglion cell replacement therapies for vision restoration in glaucoma and other optic neuropathies. He also has a clinical interest in understanding the relationship between intraocular pressure and glaucoma progression, especially through remote and 24-hour tonometry.