� 16th Retina International World Congress Change our vision:“Bridging the gap from the lab to the patients” 26-27 June 2010- Stresa, Italy - Congress Center PROGRAMME* Friday June 25, 201015. 00

Change our vision:“Bridging the gap from the lab to the patients”

Friday June 25, 2010

15.00 – 18.00 Registration and Posters set-up
20.00 Traditional Speakers Dinner

Saturday June 26, 2010


8.00 – 9.00 Registration and Posters set-up
8.00 – 9.00 Exhibition and Posters


1st Plenary SESSION: OPENING 9.00 – 10.00

AUDITORIUM - Coordinators Andrao- Simonelli

9.00 – 10.00 Welcome address
Assia Andrao, President of Retina Italia
Alfredo Ciccodicola, Coordinator of Congress Scientific Advisory Board
Francesca Simonelli, President of Italian Genetics Ophthalmology Society (SIOG)
Domenica Taruscio - Director of National Centre for Rare Diseases, ISS
Lucia Monaco – Scientific Director of Telethon Fondazione onlus
National and Local, Institutional representatives;
Christina Fasser, President of Retina International


KEYNOTE LECTURES (ECM) 10.00 – 11.30

Chairs: G. Chader- F. Bandello

10.00 – 10.45 Retinal Degeneration: lessons from basic research - Alan Bird
10.45 – 11.30 Genes and Gene Therapy - Alberto Auricchio



11.30 – 12.00 Coffee Break, Exhibition and Posters

PARALLEL SESSIONS 12.00 – 13.30

SCIENTIFIC SESSION 1 Room “ ROMA” ( English only) (ECM)
New tools in clinical diagnosis of RD
Chairs: A. Gal – U. Menchini

12.00 – 12.30 Diagnosis of young children - Birgit Lorenz
12.30 – 13.00 Bridging the Gap - Multi Modal Mapping in Retinal Degeneration - Dominik Fischer
13.00 – 13.30 The importance of autoflorescence in assessing retinal degeneration - Steffen Schmitz- Valckenberg


PATIENT SESSION 1A AUDITORIUM
Clinical aspects of AMD
Chairs: C. Klaver – B. Lumbroso

12.00 – 12.30 What is new in therapy for dry AMD? – Francesco Bandello
12.30 – 13.00 Causes of AMD – Andrea Sodi
13.00 – 13.30 Vitamins, antioxidants and nutrition – Johanna Seddon


PATIENT SESSION 1B Room “TORINO”
Cinical aspect of inherited retinal degenerations
Chairs: C. Azzolini- E.M. Vingolo

12.00 – 12.30 Clinical features of juvenile macular degenerations – Francesca Simonelli
12.30 – 13.00 Clinical features of RP – Alan Bird
13.00 – 13.30 Why is genotyping important? – Sandro Banfi


13.30 – 15.00 Lunch, Exhibition and Posters
13.30 – 15.00 Lunch with clinicians and scientists (for the patients, with translators)


Sala ROMA

13.30 – 14.15 Meeting with company Retina Implant AG – “Technology of Retinal Implants” (italiano)
14.15 – 15.00 Meeting with company Retina Implant AG - “Technology of Retinal Implants” (inglese)



PARALLEL SESSIONS 15.00 - 16.30


SCIENTIFIC SESSION 2 Room “ROMA” ( english only) (ECM)
New insights in the genetic diagnosis of RD
Chairs: R. Ali – S. Banfi

15.00 – 15.30 DNA diagnostics for inherited vision impairment: bridging the gap between scientific findings & routine patient screening – Frans Cremers
15.30 – 16.00 Diagnostic chips – Bernhard Weber
16.00 – 16.30 Genetic modifiers of disease phenotype - Andreas Gal

PATIENT SESSION 2A AUDITORIUM
AMD
Chairs : C. Klaver – M. Chizzolini

15.00 – 15.30 OCT in diagnosis and follow-up of AMD - Bruno Lumbroso
15.30 – 16.00 Ongoing treatment trials – Caroline C. Klaver
16.00 – 16.30 Treatment options for wet AMD – Ugo Menchini


PATIENT SESSION 2B Room “TORINO”
Genetics aspect of Inherited retinal degenerations
Chairs: F. Torricelli – A. Ciccodicola

15.00 – 15.30 Genetics of inherited retinal degenerations – Francesca Torricelli
15.30 – 16.00 Genetic aspects of X-linked retinal degenerative diseases – Alfredo Ciccodicola
16.00 – 16.30 Not only retina: The medical geneticist role in patients with inherited retinal disorders - Cristiana Marchese

16.30 – 17.00 Coffee Break, Exhibition and Posters


2nd PLENARY SESSION: AUDITORIUM (ECM) 17.00 – 18.30
News from ongoing treatment trials
Chairs: J. Bennet - A. Auricchio

17.00 – 17.30 CNTF trials in dry AMD and RP – Weng Tao
17.30 – 18.00 Gene therapy for RPE65 – Jean Bennet
18.00 – 18.30 Retinal Prostheses – Eberhart Zrenner


18.30 – 19.00 ASK the Specialist

20.30 GALA DINNER


Sunday, June 27th

3rd PLENARY SESSION: AUDITORIUM (ECM) 9.00 - 10.30
Treatment perspectives
Chairs: J. Hollyfield- F. Simonelli

9.00 - 9.30 Neuroprotection and antioxidants in RD - Teo Van Veen
9.30 - 10.00 Age - related Macular Degeneration: recent advances - Caroline C. Klaver
10.00 - 10.30 Planned Clinical Trials in inherited RD – Gerald Chader


10.30 – 11.00 Coffee Break, Exhibition and Posters


PARALLEL SESSIONS 11.00 - 13.00

SCIENTIFIC SESSION 3 Room “ROMA” ( english only) (ECM)
Macular dystrophies
Chairs: J. Bennet – N. Orzalesi

11.00 – 11.20 Treatments for blinding diseases of the retinoid cycle: Leber congenital amaurosis and Stargardt disease – Robert Koenekoop
11.20 – 11.40 “Nature, Nurture and Nutrition Influence on Macular Degeneration: Genes and Environment” - Johanna Seddon
11.40 – 12.00 Immune responses and AMD - Gregory Hageman
12.00 – 12.20 Oxidative damage in AMD – Joe Hollyfield
12.20 – 12.40 Achromatopsia – Eberhart Zrenner
12.40 – 13.00 Cone viability factor – Josè Sahel


PATIENT SESSION 3A AUDITORIUM
The path from cell biology to disease therapy
Chairs: E. Strettoi – C. Marchese

11.00 – 11.20 EuroVisionNet – the door to European vision research – Eberhart Zrenner
11.20 – 11.40 Good epidemiologic practice in retinitis pigmentosa: from phenotyping to therapy – Francesco Parmeggiani
11.40 – 12.00 How the retina works normally and becames ill – Enrica Strettoi
12.00 – 12.20 From animal models to genetic therapies of dominant retinal degenerations - Enrico Surace
12.20 – 12.40 The long march from molecular biology to therapy – Valeria Marigo
12.40 – 13.00 Stem cells and cell therapy - Robin Ali

PATIENT SESSION 3B Room “TORINO”
The patient’s path from diagnosis to treatment
Chairs: V.Belloli – R. Nuzzi

11.00 – 11.20 Differential diagnosis - Andrea Sodi
11.20 – 11.40 ERG and visual field testing - Benedetto Falsini
11.40 – 12.00 New tools to assess visual function– Francesco Testa
12.00 – 12.20 Treatment of macular edema - Davidina Ghiglione
12.20 – 12.40 Considerations before cataract surgery – Alfredo Reibaldi
12.40 – 13.00 Prerequisites to participation in treatment trials – Francesca Simonelli


13.00 – 14.30 Lunch, Exhibition and Posters
Lunch with clinicians and scientists (for students)


PARALLEL SESSIONS 14.30 – 16.15

SCIENTIFIC SESSION 4 Room “ROMA” ( english only) (ECM)
Gene therapy, neuroprotection and stem cells
Chairs: E. Strettoi- J.Bennet

14.30 – 14.55 Potentials for stem cell therapy – Robin Ali
14.55 – 15.20 Gene therapy – Jean Bennet
15.20 – 15.45 Development of methodologies for systemic drug delivery to the retina – Peter Humphries
15.45 – 16.15 Neurotrophic agents – Weng Tao

PATIENT SESSION 4A AUDITORIUM
Future promises (Perspectives in retinal diseases)
Chairs: M. Bracciolini - Marchese

14.30 – 14.50 Perspectives for treatments for blinding diseases of the retinoid cycle: Leber congenital amaurosis and Stargardt disease – Robert Koenekoop
14.50 – 15.10 Hearing preservation in Usher Syndrome – Alessandro Martini (to be confirmed)
15.10 – 15.30 Sleep and visually impaired people – Christian Cajochen
15.30 – 15.50 Candidates for gene therapy – Andreas Gal
15.50 – 16.15 Microperimetry (fundus related perimetry): new tool in diagnosis and rehabilitation of retinal diseases – Enzo M. Vingolo

PATIENT SESSION 4B Room “TORINO”
Rehabilitation
Chairs: D’Amelio – E. Cocchi

14.30 – 14.55 Intra ocular system for low vision patients – Chiara Pierrottet
14.55 - 15.20 Optical aids – Luigi Fusi
15.20 – 15.45 Rehabilitation strategies in AMD – Cecilia Scassa
15.45 – 16.15 Psychological implications of visual impairment – Olimpia Pino

16.15 – 16.45 Coffee Break, Exhibition and Posters


4th PLENARY SESSION AUDITORIUM (ECM) 16.45 - 18.30
Breaking news and closing remarks
Chairs: R. Ali - A. Ciccodicola - A

16.45 – 17.25 Channel-rodopsins – Botond Roska
Targeting ceramide signaling to prevent photoreceptor degeneration – Riccardo Ghidoni
17.25 – 17.45 Perspectives in inherited retinal degenerations - Gerald Chader
17.45 – 18.05 Perspectives in AMD – Joe Hollyfield
18.05 – 18.30 Closing Session


* programme subject to changes without prior notice