Advances in Vision Research, Volume IV: From Basic to Translations Research -- Developing Diagnostics and Therapeutics for Genetic Eye Diseases

This fourth volume in the series Advances in Vision Research describes importance advancements in basics to translational research, including new therapeutics for genetic eye diseases. Recent US FDA approval of the first gene therapy for an inherited retinal disease, due to a mutation in the RPE65 gene, has led to an upsurge in translational eye research. The coverage in this volume includes corneal diseases, myopia, cataract, glaucoma, inherited retinal diseases, inherited optic neuropathy, and other genetic eye diseases. New developments such as the application of artificial intelligence in translational eye research are also discussed. All chapters are written by leading researchers working on eye genetics from the fields of Human Genetics, Ophthalmology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Sensory Sciences, and Clinical Research. Advances in Vision Research, Volume IV will be a major resource for all researchers, clinicians, clinical researchers, andallied eye health professionals with an interest in eye diseases around the globe. The first two volumes in the series described the state of the art in genetic eye research in Asia and the Pacific while the third focused on progress in Europe and the United States.

Dr. Gyan Prakash is Director of Office of International Program Activities at National Eye Institute (NEI)- National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA. He served as the first Director of Transformational Medical Technologies Initiative (TMTI), a pioneer scientific research and product development program in the US Government with a budget of US＄ 1.6 Billion. Before joining the U.S. Gov’t, Dr. Prakash served as the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at AMAR International, a life science program management company in the USA. Previously, he served as the President and CEO of Metastatin Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Prakash earned his international program management experience at Pfizer world headquarters in New York in several leadership roles. He has a PhD in Biomedical Sciences earned at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and MBA in Management and fellowships at UCLA School of Medicine and Centers for Disease Control. He is the founding President of Global Eye Genetics Consortium (GEGC), previously Asian Eye Genetics Consortium (AEGC).

Dr. Takeshi Iwata is Director of Molecular and Cellular Biology Division at National Institute of Sensory Organs (NISO), National Hospital Organization Tokyo Medical Center (NHOTMC) in Tokyo, Japan. He is known for his pioneering work in the field of retinal genetics and worked on inherited retinal diseases, inherited optic neuropathy and inherited glaucoma. He did his postdoctoral fellowship at National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland and at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine in Miami, Florida. He continued his work as Director at NISO/NHOTMC. Dr. Iwata earned his PhD from Meijo University in Japan. He is currently serving as President of both Japan Eye Genetics Consortium (JEGC) and Global Eye Genetics Consortium (GEGC).