Eye Tea - Ophthalmology Podcast

The Urgency of Advocacy in Vision Research LIVE from Salt Lake City in ARVO 2025** NAEVR's advocacy page (⁠⁠https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact-congress⁠⁠ [https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact-congress])The atmosphere at ARVO 2025 in Salt Lake City was charged with a sense of urgency and purpose. We found ourselves in the midst of intense discussions about the future of vision research, underscored by sobering challenges highlighted throughout the event. Gagan Kalra, MD met with Dan Ignaszewski, Executive Director at NAEVR.**A Troubling Proposal**Dan, shared alarming news about a proposed 37% cut to NIH funding, equating to nearly $18 billion. The proposal includes restructuring the NIH from 27 institutes down to just five, eradicating independent entities like the Cancer Institute, Heart and Lung Institute, and Eye Institute. These changes, alongside a 15% indirect cap on all NIH grants, threaten the fabric of vision and medical research.**A Call for Immediate Action**Gagan and Dan emphasized the need for immediate grassroots advocacy. With a unified voice, the vision research community, including clinicians, researchers, patients, and industry professionals, must communicate the devastating implications of these funding cuts. As Gagan pointed out, changes of such magnitude require us to inform and mobilize swiftly. “Admittedly, it feels like an imminent call to action.”One way to take action is through the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR). They provide resources that make it easy for everyone to reach out to their congressional representatives. Use the contact form available at NAEVR's advocacy page (⁠https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact-congress⁠ [https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact-congress]), where you can send a pre-written letter with just a few clicks.**Collaborative Efforts at ARVO 2025**ARVO 2025 provided a crucial platform for collaboration. The bustling event allowed researchers and policy advocates to strengthen their networks and strategize on maintaining vision research as a national priority. Dan highlighted the significance of coalitions in advocacy efforts, stating, “We couldn't do it without ARVO, without all of our partners' support.”**Engaging the Next Generation**As we look to the next generation of vision researchers, it’s imperative to engage trainees, residents, and early-career scientists. They too play a pivotal role in advocating for their future. Gagan spoke of potential initiatives to facilitate their participation, including an easy-to-use contact form available at NAEVR's advocacy page (⁠⁠https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact-congress⁠⁠ [https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact-congress])**Taking Strides for a Collective Future**The discussions at ARVO 2025 reflected a collective determination to preserve the integrity and future of medical research. With critical decisions pending, the time for action is now. As Dan and Gagan asserted, cohesion in messaging and unity in action are paramount. By leveraging personal connections and fostering a grassroots movement, we must convey to Congress the dire consequences of proposed NIH cuts.**Moving Forward**The work at ARVO 2025 is a testament to the enduring spirit of the vision research community. It reminds us of our responsibility to advocate tirelessly for the resources and structures essential for breakthroughs in vision science. Let us unite with one voice to safeguard the future of medical research for generations to come. For more information on how you can get involved, visit the NAEVR’s contact page at NAEVR's advocacy page (⁠⁠https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact-congress⁠⁠ [https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact-congress])

This talk was recorded live at ARVO 2024 in Seattle, WA. Join this invigorating talk where our rising medical student James Lai [https://eyetea.club/james-lai](moderator) and Dr. Gagan Kalra [https://ophthalmology.pitt.edu/people/gagan-kalra-md] (founder) discuss innovation in ophthalmology with strategic funding, research, and advocacy with Dr. Michael F. Chiang [https://www.nei.nih.gov/about/nei-leadership/michael-f-chiang-md], Dr. Daniel Pelaez [https://med.miami.edu/faculty/daniel-pelaez-phd], Dr. Whitney Sambhariya [https://eyetea.club/whitney-stuard-sambhariya] and Dan Ignaszewski [https://www.eyeresearch.org/contact]. This podcast is in collaboration with NAEVR [https://www.eyeresearch.org/about-naevr]. The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR), a 501(c)(4) non-profit advocacy organization, constitutes a coalition of nearly 50 professional, patient, consumer, and industry organizations actively engaged in the realm of eye and vision research. Learn about NAEVR's emerging vision scientist program here: https://www.eyeresearch.org/emerging-vision-scientist-program [https://www.eyeresearch.org/emerging-vision-scientist-program] NEI's strategic plan is discussed in this podcast. Here is a reference for your further reading interests: https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/NEI-StrategicPlan-ExecutiveSummary-508c.pdf [https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2021-10/NEI-StrategicPlan-ExecutiveSummary-508c.pdf]

This from the vaults episode was held live on April 2, 2022. What’s happening with AI and biomedical imaging for the eye? Hear from and ask our experts, Jennifer I. Lim at University of Illinois at Chicago and Minhaj N. Alam at Stanford School of Medicine. Chat soon, and bring your favorite beverage! Dr. Lim is a leading authority on retina and vitreoretinal diseases. She has performed more than 6,000 vitreoretinal surgeries and directed more than 50 clinical research studies and trials on age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, macular edema and retinal vein occlusion and complex retinal detachments. Her research and patient care have generated more than 220 peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Lim has been named Chicago Super Doctors and Best Doctors in America. Her book, Age-Related Macular Degeneration, is in its 3rd Edition and was published in 2013. Dr. Lim is the recipient of the American Academy of Ophthalmology Senior Achievement and Secretariat Awards, ASRS Senior Honor Award and the Suzanne Veronneau Troutman Award. Dr. Lim is board certified in ophthalmology. Dr. Minhaj Nur Alam is a biomedical imaging and computer vision scientist with expertise in the field of biomedical imaging and medical artificial intelligence (AI). He has extensive research experience in developing AI models for medical AI tasks, optical device instrumentation (optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT/OCTA)), and developing quantitative imaging biomarkers. Dr. Alam trained as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Stanford University department of Biomedical Data Science with a research focus on developing self-supervised and cross-modal prediction models in ophthalmology and radiology applications. He was also part of a stealth mode AI startup that focused on sensorless biomarker detection for health analytics. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Bioengineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), with a focus on optical imaging and AI based objective classification of different types of retinopathies.

In this 3rd and final part of the 3 part deep dive with ⁠Dr. Michael Abramoff⁠ [https://medicine.uiowa.edu/eye/abramoff],⁠ Dr. Gagan Kalra⁠ [https://eyetea.club/gagan-kalra] (host) delves into the regulatory processes and ethics of medical AI with Dr. Abramoff. Dr. Michael Abramoff, MD, PhD, (FARVO) is the Robert C. Watzke, MD Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa, with a joint appointment in the College of Engineering, a fellowship-trained retina specialist, computer scientist, and entrepreneur. He is an IEEE Fellow, and an ARVO Gold Fellow.  In 1989-1990, he did a postdoc at the RIKEN neural networks research lab in Japan. As an expert in machine learning and image analysis, Dr. Abramoff was one of the original developers of a widely-used open-source image analysis app, ImageJ. His research has been continuously funded since 2004 by National Eye Institute, the Veterans Administration, the Beckman Foundation and other federal, state and philanthropic funding agencies in the U.S. and Europe. Dr. Abramoff is the Founder and Executive Chairman of ⁠Digital Diagnostics⁠ [https://www.digitaldiagnostics.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwq86wBhDiARIsAJhuphlqyrDVZEVZFzhemnInVvyrVUAvSgLo6Sj4aSYxtsR2wK4TiOXnFr8aAtFrEALw_wcB], the Autonomous AI diagnostics company that was the first in any field of medicine to get FDA clearance for an autonomous AI. In primary care, the AI system can instantaneously diagnose diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema at the point of care. This device, IDX-DR, is now part of ADA’s Standard Diabetes Care and Dr. Abramoff has also developed an ethical foundation for autonomous AI that was used during the design, validation, and regulatory and payment pathways for autonomous AI.  As the author of over 300 peer-reviewed publications in this field, he has been cited over 35,000 times, and is the inventor on 17 issued patents and many patent applications. Dr. Abramoff has mentored dozens of engineering graduate students, ophthalmology residents, and retina fellows. His passion is to use AI to improve the affordability, accessibility and quality of care.

In this 2nd part of the 3 part deep dive with ⁠Dr. Michael Abramoff⁠ [https://medicine.uiowa.edu/eye/abramoff],⁠ Dr. Gagan Kalra⁠ [https://eyetea.club/gagan-kalra] (host) delves into his struggles and rewards around building a company, bringing products to market, and skills he needed to develop out of necessity. Referenced reading materials: ⁠~reimbursement of medical AI (Open Access -Free)⁠ [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-022-00621-w] Dr. Michael Abramoff, MD, PhD, (FARVO) is the Robert C. Watzke, MD Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa, with a joint appointment in the College of Engineering, a fellowship-trained retina specialist, computer scientist, and entrepreneur. He is an IEEE Fellow, and an ARVO Gold Fellow.  In 1989-1990, he did a postdoc at the RIKEN neural networks research lab in Japan. As an expert in machine learning and image analysis, Dr. Abramoff was one of the original developers of a widely-used open-source image analysis app, ImageJ. His research has been continuously funded since 2004 by National Eye Institute, the Veterans Administration, the Beckman Foundation and other federal, state and philanthropic funding agencies in the U.S. and Europe. Dr. Abramoff is the Founder and Executive Chairman of ⁠Digital Diagnostics⁠ [https://www.digitaldiagnostics.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwq86wBhDiARIsAJhuphlqyrDVZEVZFzhemnInVvyrVUAvSgLo6Sj4aSYxtsR2wK4TiOXnFr8aAtFrEALw_wcB], the Autonomous AI diagnostics company that was the first in any field of medicine to get FDA clearance for an autonomous AI. In primary care, the AI system can instantaneously diagnose diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema at the point of care. This device, IDX-DR, is now part of ADA’s Standard Diabetes Care and Dr. Abramoff has also developed an ethical foundation for autonomous AI that was used during the design, validation, and regulatory and payment pathways for autonomous AI.  As the author of over 300 peer-reviewed publications in this field, he has been cited over 35,000 times, and is the inventor on 17 issued patents and many patent applications. Dr. Abramoff has mentored dozens of engineering graduate students, ophthalmology residents, and retina fellows. His passion is to use AI to improve the affordability, accessibility and quality of care.