The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences invites you to the George Kambara, MD, Vision Science Symposium on Friday, April 10, 2026. This annual symposium showcases vision research being conducted on the UW–Madison campus and by other leading institutions.
The 2026 keynote speaker will be Maureen Neitz, PhD, the Ray H. Hill Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology at the University of Washington. Along with husband Jay Neitz, PhD, she directs the Neitz Research Laboratory, which seeks to better understand the causes of colorblindness and related visual disorders and to develop effective therapeutic solutions for these disorders.
Please register to attend:
George Kambara, MD, Vision Sciences Symposium
7 AM – 2:15 PM · Friday, April 10, 2026
Health Sciences Learning Center
750 Highland Avenue
— Complimentary Breakfast at 7 AM —
Keynote Speaker
Maureen Neitz, PhD is the Ray H. Hill Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology at the University of Washington. Along with husband Jay Neitz, PhD, she directs the Neitz Research Laboratory, which seeks to better understand the causes of colorblindness and related visual disorders and to develop effective therapeutic solutions for these disorders.
Dr. Neitz’s talk is titled “Long-read Sequencing and Droplet Digital PCR as Complementary, Powerful Diagnostic Tools for Xq28 Opsin-based Vision Disorders.”
Dr. Neitz will explain the latest groundbreaking developments in genetic tools to accurately analyze a difficult region of the X chromosome that controls red‑green color vision. Using long‑read DNA sequencing and a precise gene‑counting method, researchers are now able to diagnose inherited color‑vision disorders and identify female carriers far more reliably than before. This work closes a major diagnostic gap and improves our ability to understand and detect X‑linked vision conditions.
Kambara Program Schedule
| 7:00 AM · Complimentary Breakfast |
| 8:00 – 8:10 AM · Chair’s Welcome: Terri Young, MD, MBA |
| 8:10 – 8:30 AM · Featured Presentation: Amitha Domalpally, MD, PhD |
| Moving AI from Code to Clinical Trials |
| 8:30 – 9:16 AM · Short Talks |
| Roomasa Channa, MD · Real World Validation of AI Algorithm for GA Area Measurement |
| Barbara Blodi, MD · Comparison of Fundus Autofluorescence Systems for Geographic Atrophy Area Measurements |
| Jeong Won Pak, PhD · OCT Biomarkers in Intermediate AMD in AREDS2 |
| Session I Q&A |
| 9:16 – 9:26 AM · Break |
| 9:26 – 9:46 AM · Featured Presentation: Raunak Sinha, PhD |
| Species-specific Tuning of Photoreceptor Function in the Primate Retina |
| 9:46 – 10:32 AM · Short Talks |
| Raymond Doudlah, PhD · Mechanisms of Spatial Constancy for 3D Object Vision in Primates |
| Whitney Stevens-Sostre, PhD · Deficiency of the Voltage-gated Potassium Channel Kv1.1 Dampens Neuronal Excitability of Key Output Neurons in the Mammalian Retina |
| Colleen McDowell, PhD · Function and Role of CGRP Nerve Innervation in Aqueous Humor Outflow |
| Session II Q&A |
| 10:30 – 10:42 AM · Break |
| 10:42 – 11:50 AM · Keynote Presentation · Maureen Neitz, PhD |
| Long-read Sequencing and Droplet Digital PCR as Complementary, Powerful Diagnostic Tools for Xq28 Opsin-based Vision Disorders |
| 11:50 AM – 1:00 PM · Lunch |
| 1:00 – 1:20 PM · Featured Presentation · Shaoqin “Sarah” Gong, MS, PhD |
| Nanoparticle-mediated Systemic Delivery for CRISPR Editing in CNS Disorders |
| 1:20 – 1:56 PM · Short Talks |
| Praveen Joseph Susaimanickam, PhD: Identification and Enrichment of Human Retinal Organoid-derived Red/green Cone Precursors with Optimal Properties for Foveal Reconstruction |
| Ismail Zaitoun, PhD: Vascular Degeneration in a Mouse Model of Retinitis Pegmentosa |
| Nader Sheibani, PhD: Pericyte VEGF in Ocular Vascular Development and Neovascularization |
| Session III Q&A |
| 2:06 – 2:15 PM · Closing Remarks |
The Kambara Symposium is supported by the George Kambara Education Fund and the McPherson Eye Research Institute.