On June 13, Harvard Ophthalmology hosted a successful reimagined Annual and Alumni Virtual Meeting with nearly 300 faculty and alumni attendees. With a central theme of Innovation and Adaptation During COVID-19 and Beyond, the event focused on the department's creative response to the pandemic and how our mission will be met going forward.
View Recordings of the Talks
The two-hour meeting opened with a Department Update from Harvard Ophthalmology Chair Joan W. Miller, MD, who focused on our three mission areas of clinical care, research, and education.
James Chodosh, MD, MPH, Associate Director of the Harvard Ophthalmology Infectious Disease Institute, shared insight on the virology of COVID-19 and its effects on public health.
Matthew F. Gardiner, MD, director of Ophthalmology Emergency, Consult, and Hospitalist Services at Mass. Eye and Ear, discussed the hospital's clinical preparation and adaptation during the pandemic.
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology Ankoor S. Shah, MD, PhD, shared how virtual and hybrid visits are helping clinicians meet patient care needs, while still following social distancing protocols.
Harvard Ophthalmology Residency Program Director Alice Lorch, MD, MPH, highlighted the innovative and collaborative initiatives the department has led in ophthalmology education, including virtual surgical training curriculum that has been shared with academic programs across the nation.
Luk Vandenberghe, PhD, the Grousbeck Family Chair in Gene Therapy at Mass. Eye and Ear, shared his progress on developing an exciting and unique gene-based vaccine program called AAVCOVID.
The event closed with a keynote Q&A discussion with alumnus Robin Cook (class of 1975), bestselling author of more than 35 medical thrillers, including Pandemic, Outbreak, and Contagion.