Pre-Conference Workshop Day
Monday | October 28, 2024
8:30 am Check-In & Morning Refreshments
09:00am-12:00pmWorkshop A
Developing Preclinical Models That Recapitulate Disease Phenotypes of Retinal Pigment Epithelium & Photoreceptor Cells for Efficient Translation Into the Clinic
Synopsis
The lack of reliable preclinical models for dry AMD and geographic atrophy have proved to be a major hurdle in current AMD drug discovery and research. Several genetically modified mouse models previously developed have failed to fully recapitulate the AMD phenotypes, therefore, posing as a challenge during translation into the clinic.
Join this workshop to:
- Discuss the lack of accurate preclinical models replicating the retinal microenvironment including cell atrophy, loss of photoreceptor and RPE cells, deposition of drusen and the accumulation of lipofuscin, as seen in patients with dry AMD and GA
- Develop in vitro cell culture models (such as iPSC-derived RPE cell lines), organ-onchips and 3D organoids providing physiologically relevant models combining the various retinal cell types
- Overcome the lack of accurate in vivo models capturing different disease manifestations with the development of novel RPE-specific knockouts mouse models
- Uncover the latest advancements in tissue characterization techniques, including single-cell sequencing, spatial histology, proteomics, and RNA sequencing, and how these techniques provide insights into the origins of diseases by analyzing human tissues at a granular level
- Examine the challenges of comparing data across different models (oxidative stress vs genetically modified), emphasizing the importance of standardized methodologies to facilitate collaboration and data interpretation
12:00 pm Lunch & Networking Break
1:00pm-3:00pmWorkshop B
Assessing Novel Non-Invasive Retinal Imaging Biomarkers Detecting Changes in the Retinal Microenvironment in Intermediate AMD
Synopsis
Current biomarkers for dry AMD and geographic atrophy include the presence and size of drusen deposits, however, the variation in deposit size as the disease progresses means that they are not very accurate signs of disease. Novel biomarkers are required for faster, more accurate detection of disease, such as hypertransmissibility and loss of RPE cells.
Join this workshop to:
- Explore the latest methods for imaging changes in ellipsoid zone reflectivity and thickness, and understand their significance in evaluating retinal health
- Learn about emerging biomarkers, particularly hypertransmissibility defects that are valuable indicators of early RPE dysfunction, identified through natural history studies, which serve as reliable precursors to geographic atrophy
- Learn about current biomarkers related to the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) health, emphasizing that the RPE can remain healthy up to intermediate stages of disease, countering the common focus on geographic atrophy
- Utilizing OCT imaging and colour fundus photography to measure subretinal drusenoid deposits and hyporeflective