Lab Grown Eye Cells Form New Neural Connections and Two Congressional Bills To Assist The Blind and Visually Impaired

Dr. David Gamm (University of Wisconsin-Madison McPherson Eye Research Institute - Madison, WI)

Justin Young (National Federation of the Blind - Baltimore, MD)

Dr. David Gamm, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of ophthalmology and visual science and director of McPherson Eye Research Institute explains how isolated cells from lab grown retinal organoids could still form new synaptic connections after being broken up from retinal organoids and having their existing synaptic connections destroyed.

Then, Justin Young, National Federation of the Blind government affairs specialist, in Baltimore, explains two proposed bills, the Blind Americans Return To Work Act and the Medical Devices Nonvisual Accessibility Act.

3/12/2023 Podcast (Click Image Below) 

Effectiveness Of Eylea In Early Treatment Of Diabetic Retinopathy and a Link Between Extracellular Vesicles In Tears and Keratoconus

Dr. Raj Maturi (Midwest Eye Institute - Indianapolis, IN)

Dr. Dimitrios Karamichos (North Texas Eye Research Institute - Fort Worth, TX)

Dr. Raj Maturi, a specialist in vitreoretinal medicine and surgery at Midwest Eye Institute in Indianapolis, explains the results of a study showing the effectiveness of the drug, Eylea, in the slowing the progression of diabetic retinopathy and improving the visual acuity in those with the early stages of the disease.

Then, Dr. Dimitrios Karamichos, executive director of the North Texas Eye Research Institute (NTERI) in Fort Worth, discusses a link between extracellular vesicles in tears and keratoconus.

3/5/2023 Podcast (Click Image Below) 

Clarksville TN NFB Bell Academy and Drusen and Subretinal Drusenoid Deposits In Treating Macular Degeneration

National Federation of the Blind Tennessee

Dr. R. Theodore Smith (Mount Sinai - New York, NY)

Michelle Quinn, Tennessee state NFB coordinator, discusses the Tennessee NFB Bell Academy, which provides Braille and nonvisual skills instruction for blind children, which will take place at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville from May 30 to June 4, 2023.

Then, Dr. R. Theodore Smith, professor of ophthalmology, Icahn School of Medicine, at Mount Sinai, in New York, explains how drusen and subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDD's) affect the early diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

2/26/2023 Podcast (Click Image Below) 

Smart Walking Stick Using AI and Computer Vision and Lipid Nanoparticles Targeting Photoreceptors and Gene Mutations

Shivendra Agrawal (University of Colorado - Boulder, CO)

Dr. Renee Ryals (Oregon Health and Science University - Portland, OR)

Shivendra Agrawal, doctoral student in the department of computer science at the University of Colorado at Boulder, discusses a "smart" walking stick, which uses artificial intelligence, computer vision, algorithms, vibrations in the handle, and spoken directions, to guide the user.

Then, Dr. Renee Ryals, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Portland's Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine explains how lipid nanoparticles deliver messenger RNA to photoreceptors to edit gene mutations.

2/5/2023 Podcast (Click Image Below) 

Sonification In Astronomy and the ACE2 Enzyme in Gut Health and Diabetic Retinopathy Prevention

Sarah Kane (University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA)

Dr. Maria Grant (University of Alabama at Birmingham - Birmingham, AL)

Sarah Kane, an undergraduate research assistant, at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, discusses efforts to turn scientific data into interpretive sound for educational and research contexts called sonification.

Dr. Maria Grant, Eivor and Alston Callahan Endowed Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, explains the role of the enzyme, ACE2, in gut health and the prevention of diabetic retinopathy.

1/29/2023 Podcast (Click Image Below)

Muller Glia In Zebrafish For Retinal Regeneration and A Day In The Life A Blind Student

 

Dr. Soumitra Mitra (University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI)

Dr. Soumitra Mitra, a postdoctoral fellow, at the University of Michigan Neuroscience Institute, discusses how Muller glial cells regenerate zebrafish retinal cells, acquire stem cell properties, and offers theories as to why the same process does not occur in mammals.

Then, Ashley Neybert, accessbility specialist with ViewPlus and lead curriculum designer with Independence Science, explains what a day in the life of a blind student is like at Oregon State University.

1/15/2023 Podcast (Click Image Below)

Multiplexing To Interpret Multiple Objects In Image and AMD Drugs As Possible Candidate To Treat COVID-19

Dr. Jennifer Groh (Duke University - Durham, NC)

Dr. Vaithi Arumugaswami and Gustavo Garcia  (UCLA - Los Angeles, CA)

Dr. Jennifer Groh, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, explains how monkeys use a process called "multiplexing", which describes how visual cortex neurons swaps signals in and out between reporting on multiple objects in the same image. 

Gustavo Garcia, former UCLA staff research associate in molecular and medical pharmacology and Dr. Vaithi Arumugaswami, associate professor of molecular and medical pharmacology at UCLA, explain how a macular degeneration drug, verteporfin, could be a possible candidate to treat COVID-19.

12/19/2022 Podcast (Click Image Below)