Cell Biology Conference Held in Vancouver
September 16, 2011 - Last week, biologists studying the cells of the eye met in Vancouver. This biannual meeting, hosted by the the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) and the International Society for Ocular Cell Biology(ISOCB), is an opportunity for scientists in this field to talk to each other about advances in the field and to share the findings of their work.
The Course Director for the program was Dr. Robert Molday, a professor at the University of British Columbia. He studies the proteins in the photoreceptors that make vision possible. Dr. Molday also currently leads a project funded by the FFB and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to develop gene therapies for Stargardt disease, cone-rod dystrophy and some types of Leber congenital amaurosis and retinitis pigmentosa.
Dr. Molday and his fellow organizing committee members put together a diverse program of discussions, which highlighted many of the most significant areas of research in occular cell biology. Representatives from five currently funded FFB projects participated and shared information about their work. Meetings like these are one important way to ensure ongoing collaboration between scientific groups.