Events

Meeting on advances in the field of ophthalmology

Miguel Coca-Prados, Héctor González Iglesias, Julio Escribano, Jose Daniel Aroca and Luis Fernández-Vega

On 21 November 2016, the Rafael del Pino Foundation organised a meeting on advances in the field of ophthalmology with the participation of doctors Luis Fernández-Vega, Héctor González Iglesias, Jose Daniel Aroca, Julio Escribano and Miguel Coca-Prados.

The event took place according to the following programme:

The Rafael del Pino Chair at the Ophthalmological Research Foundation (2009-2016): Achievements and the future of Glaucoma research
Miguel Coca-Prados is Rafael del Pino Professor in genetic ophthalmology of eye diseases. Professor Coca-Prados holds a degree in Biology from the University of Salamanca. Throughout his prolific academic and research career he has been: Professor Emeritus of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at Yale University; Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Microbiology of Dr. David A. Wolff at Ohio State University; Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Molecular Cell Biology at Rockefeller University in New York and Ophthalmology Research Scientist and Principal Investigator in Ophthalmology at Yale University School of Medicine. He has published numerous scientific papers and his research work has received several awards, most recently in 2006, when he received the Yla-Pfizer Visiting Professorship Award. He is a Principal Investigator at the Ophthalmology Research Foundation.

New technologies for the study of age-related eye diseases: Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration
Héctor González Iglesias holds a degree in Chemistry from the University of Oviedo and a European PhD in Chemistry from the University of Oviedo. He has made numerous scientific publications, book chapters and also several collaborations in conferences. He is a member of the International Biometals Society (ISB); the Spanish Society of Analytical Chemistry (SEQA); and Zinc-Net: the Network for the Biology of Zinc (UK). He is currently working as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Ocular Genetics Unit of the Ophthalmological Research Foundation.

The search for genes related to glaucoma: A Spanish-American journey back and forth
Julio Escribano is Professor of Genetics at the University of Castilla-La Mancha and holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the Ramón y Cajal Hospital in Madrid and the Complutense University of Madrid. He is director of the Human Genetics group, belonging to the UCLM and to the thematic network of
OFTARED network cooperative research, funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Dr. Escribano has received more than 30 awards for his scientific activity.

The genetics of glaucoma: from fish to men
Jose Daniel Aroca, José Daniel Aroca Aguilar has a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Murcia. He has worked in the Biomembranes group of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology A of the University of Murcia and in the Human Molecular Genetics group of the Faculty of Medicine of Albacete. In 2009 he obtained his PhD degree, and his thesis was awarded the Extraordinary PhD Prize. He has also participated in a dozen research projects focused on the study of the genetic basis of glaucoma, and is the author of 15 articles published in relevant journals in the field. He is currently Associate Professor in the Human Molecular Genetics Group at the UCLM, member of the Institute for Research in Neurological Disabilities (IDINE) and of the RETICS network of Ocular Pathology of the Carlos III Institute of Health.

From the scientific laboratory to the patient: Success of a shared adventure between Foundations
Luis Fernández-Vega Sanz studied Medicine at the Autonomous University of Madrid and later moved to the Complutense University of Madrid where he read his doctoral thesis, obtaining the qualification of "Cum Laude" and was awarded the Extraordinary Doctorate Prize. In 1982, he obtained the Chair of Ophthalmology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Oviedo. He has been president of the Spanish Society of Ocular Implant and Refractive Surgery (SECOIR). He is Head of the Ophthalmology Service of the General Hospital of Asturias and author of more than 100 publications in his speciality, having received numerous awards for his ophthalmological work. He is currently Chairman of the National Ophthalmology Commission, Medical Director of the Instituto Oftalmológico Fernández-Vega and Chairman of the Fundación de Investigación Oftalmológica.

Summary:

On 21 November 2016, the Rafael del Pino Foundation organised the meeting on advances in the field of ophthalmology, which was attended by some of Spain's leading researchers in this field. The meeting was attended by Miguel Coca-Prados, Rafael del Pino Professor of Genetic Ophthalmology of Ocular Diseases and Professor Emeritus of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at Yale University, who presented the results of the collaboration between the Rafael del Pino Foundation and the Ophthalmological Research Foundation, linked to the University of Oviedo. According to him, in 2020 there will be 200 million people in the world suffering from glaucoma or macular degeneration, the two main causes of blindness. These diseases are due to genetic and environmental factors, but are also related to people's age. Their presence causes both a worsening of patients' quality of life and an increase in healthcare costs. For this reason, Dr. Coca-Prados' research focuses on establishing indicators that can provide an early diagnosis of these diseases and the propensity to develop them in order to start treatment as soon as possible and slow down their evolution. Julio Escribano, Professor of Genetics at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, explained in his speech that his research focuses on identifying the fundamental genes for the development of eye diseases, in particular glaucoma and macular degeneration, and determining their relationship with these diseases. Jose Daniel Aroca, member of the Human Molecular Genetics Group at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, referred to his studies using zebrafish to identify candidate genes responsible for glaucoma and to detect the effects of changes in the expression and morphology of these genes. Héctor González Iglesias, postdoctoral researcher at the Ocular Genetics Unit of the Fundación de Investigación Oftalmológica, pointed out that his research work, undertaken from a multidisciplinary approach, focuses on discovering the events that trigger the pathologies of glaucoma and macular degeneration and on the identification of biomarkers that allow early diagnosis. Finally, Luis Fernández-Vega, president of the National Ophthalmology Commission, medical director of the Fernández-Vega Ophthalmology Institute and president of the Ophthalmology Research Foundation, pointed out that the objective of the institution he presides over is to achieve healthy ageing and better eye health, for which it works on research into the bases of eye diseases with a triple strategy: basic research, translational research and clinical research. The aim is to identify biomarkers that allow early diagnosis, but also to develop new treatments for eye problems, such as the use of eye drops made from the patient's own platelets, the development of new corneal transplant techniques, or the application of neuroprotection to treat macular degeneration.

The Rafael del Pino Foundation is not responsible for the comments, opinions or statements made by the people who participate in its activities and which are expressed as a result of their inalienable right to freedom of expression and under their sole responsibility. The contents included in the summary of this conference, written for the Rafael del Pino Foundation by Professor Emilio González, are the result of the debates held at the meeting held for this purpose at the Foundation and are the responsibility of the authors.

The Rafael del Pino Foundation is not responsible for any comments, opinions or statements made by third parties. In this respect, the FRP is not obliged to monitor the views expressed by such third parties who participate in its activities and which are expressed as a result of their inalienable right to freedom of expression and under their own responsibility. The contents included in the summary of this conference, written for the Rafael del Pino Foundation by Professor Emilio J. González, are the result of the discussions that took place during the conference organised for this purpose at the Foundation and are the sole responsibility of its authors.

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