International Think Tank

Held annually, The Glaucoma Foundation’s International Scientific Think Tank is a unique opportunity for scientists to apply the research and progress in other diseases and systems to the challenges of glaucoma. This interdisciplinary meeting fosters creative thought and collaboration among the world’s leading glaucoma experts, neuroscientists, geneticists, biologists, immunologists, and other specialists.

Traditionally, the two-day forum achieves three objectives:

  • Orienting Scientists from other fields about glaucoma.
  • Presenting critical scientific findings that may impact or even redefine the future course of glaucoma research.
  • Identifying novel approaches for gathering scientific data.

Glaucoma Foundation Think Tank

By encouraging new research strategies and innovative insights into the causes of glaucoma at this forum, The Glaucoma Foundation continues to spearhead the multi-disciplinary campaign to eradicate blindness from this disease.

If you would like to be a sponsor of the Think Tank, please email us at esturman@glaucomafoundation.org and include “Think Tank” in the subject line.

June 2023

A graphic showing a jewel and a headline for the Dr. Robert Ritch Award for Excellence and Innovation in Glaucoma

On June 9, 2023, The Glaucoma Foundation presented The Dr. Robert Ritch Award for Excellence and Innovation in Glaucoma to Louis R. Pasquale, MD, FARVO, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Dr. Pasquale is Site Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Mt. Sinai Hospital and Vice Chair of Translational Ophthalmology Research for the Mount Sinai Healthcare System. He is a member of the PLOS One, Journal of Glaucoma, Ophthalmology Glaucoma, Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology and American Journal of Ophthalmology editorial boards. He currently serves as Glaucoma Trustee for ARVO and is a member of the National Institute of Health’s National Advisory Eye Council. As an NIH Principal Investigator, Dr. Pasquale has had continuous support since 2006. His research, which leverages the rich resources available in the Nurses Health Study, Health Professional Follow-up Study and the Women’s Genome Health Study, focuses on the discovery of primary prevention strategies in the open-angle glaucomas.

Dr. Pasquale is a member of the Board of Directors of The Glaucoma Foundation, and Co-Chair of our Scientific Advisory Board and Annual Think Tank. The Dr. Robert Ritch Award was first given to Dr. Robert Ritch, Founder of TGF, and in subsequent years to Drs. Paul Kaufman, Ted Krupin, Jost Jonas, George Spaeth, Ivan Goldberg, Bruce Shields, Ursula Schlötzer-Schrehardt, Tin Aung, Paul Palmberg, Terete Borrás, Emmett T. Cunningham, Ahti H. A. Tarkkanen, and Robert N. Weinreb.

Please enjoy these videos of The 28th Annual Glaucoma Foundation Think Tank

SESSION 1: Glaucoma Data Integration – Moderator, Louis R. Pasquale, MD
0:00 Welcome and Introduction – Louis R. Pasquale, MD, FARVO
0:03:53 Sally Baxter, MD Intro
0:05:56 Overview of Databases Available to Advance Glaucoma Knowledge – Sally Baxter, MD
0:18:05 Anthony Khawaja, MD Intro
0:19:38 Lessons Learned About Glaucoma from the UK Biobank – Anthony Khawaja, MD
0:41:51 Stuart MacGregor, PhD Intro
0:43:28 POAG Genomic Architecture Update – Stuart MacGregor, PhD
01:09:49 Audience Questions

SESSION 2: Drug Re-Purposing in Glaucoma – Moderator, Richard K. Lee, MD, PhD
0:00 Introduction – Richard K. Lee, MD, PhD
0:00:45
Insulin Signaling and Glaucoma – Louis R. Pasquale, MD
0:17:02
Metformin and Glaucoma – Joshua Stein, MD
0:42:03 GLP-1R Agonists and Glaucoma – Qi Cui, MD, PhD
1:10:27 Metformin (Study in LC Cells) – Colm O’Brien, FRCS, MD
1:15:12 Audience Questions

SESSION 3: Neuroprotection – Moderator, Robert N. Weinreb, MD
0:00 Introduction – Robert N. Weinreb, MD
00:01:47 Overview of Glaucoma Neuroprotection Agents – Derek Welsbie, MD
00:23:27 Why Do We Not Have Glaucoma Neuroprotection? – Robert N. Weinreb, MD
00:54:24 Facilitating Randomized Clinical Trials in Neuroprotection Through Artificial Intelligence: An Emerging Paradigm – Felipe Medeiros, MD, PhD
01:20:00 Audience Questions

SESSION 4: Sex Hormones and Glaucoma, Moderator, Rachel Lee, MD MPH
0:00 Introduction – Rachel Lee, MD MPH
00:00:41 The Role of Sex Hormones in the Pathogenesis of Open-Angle Glaucoma: Evidence from Epidemiological Studies – Thasarat Vajaranant, MD, MHA
00:27:54
Estrogen Signaling Pathways in Glaucoma – Yutao Liu, PhD
00:49:58 The Biomechanical Argument that Estrogen Plays a Role in Glaucoma – Andrew Feola, PhD 01:10:10 Audience Questions

SESSION 5: Non-IOP Factors of Importance in Glaucoma, Moderator, Jeffrey M. Liebmann, MD
0:00 Introduction – Jeffrey M. Liebmann, MD
0:01:20 Diet and Glaucoma – Jae Hee Kang, ScD
0:36:00 Hypertension, Antihypertensive Drugs and Glaucoma – Alon Harris, PhD
01:11:20 The Impact of Glaucoma on Activities of Daily Living – Pradeep Ramulu, MD
01:37:37 Audience Questions

SESSION 6: What Can TGF do to Help Patients, Researchers, and Eyecare Providers Tackle Glaucoma? Co-Moderators: Louis R. Pasquale, MD and Gregory K. Harmon, MD
0:00 Introduction – Gregory K. Harmon, MD
0:02:34 What is The Glaucoma Foundation Doing Now? – Elena Sturman
0:16:00
What Do Patients Want To See In Glaucoma Research?
0:16:34 Jahkori Dopwell Hall
0:25:22 Hillary Golden
0:33:04 Amy Dixon
0:45:48 Audience Questions