The Future is Here II Makes a Mark

The research teams under the Centre for Ocular Regeneration (CORE) at the Brien Holden Research Centre, LVPEI, organized the second edition of the ‘Future is Here’ conference between 9-12 January 2025. The conference brought together over 200 participants ranging from basic scientists, graduate students, engineers to ophthalmologists from 31 institutes over the four days, marking the confluence of a young and interesting set of teams coalescing around research ideas and practices on the frontiers of ophthalmology.  Participants came from USA, Germany, Australia, and the IITs, CSIRs, and central universities across India for the conference. With a focus on animal models; in vitro diseases models; cell, gene, and stem cell therapies; biomaterials; and diagnostics; the event also discussed funding and collaboration activities for these research areas.

Funding and translational roadmap
The second edition of the ‘Future is Here’ conference began with sessions discussing the funding, collaborations, and translational roadmap for research. Dr. Kapil Bharthi, Senior Investigator and Head of the Ocular and Stem Cell Translational Research Section at the National Eye Institute (NEI), USA and Dr. Stefan Schräder, Director of the University Clinic for Ophthalmology at the Pius-Hospital Oldenburg, Germany, shared insights on the funding prospects in their countries for Indian researchers. LVPEI alumni, Dr. Virender Sangwan (Consultant, Dr Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi) and Dr. Geeta Vemuganti (Dean of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad) emphasized the pivotal role that collaborations played in shaping their successful research careers. Other speakers discussed funding and grant-making opportunities in India, along with their role in shaping careers. 

Cell and gene-based therapies
Indian scientists have played a crucial role in opening up CRISPR and stem-cell based research and technologies for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) contexts. At the forefront of this work in India is Dr Debojyoti Chakraborty, head of RNA Biology Lab at CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi. Collaborators from across medical contexts have benefited from his lab’s work on CRISPR, and this includes eye care. Teams from the Narayana Nethralaya, Bengaluru and LVPEI discussed the headway they are marking despite the regulatory and translatory challenges of CRISPR-powered stem cell research. In addition, sessions that explored treatment strategies for lacrimal gland dysfunction, ocular surface reconstruction, viruses reengineered to deliver therapeutic payloads, and LVPEI’s remarkable progress in taking stem-cell therapies closer to fruition were discussed.

Dry Eye, biomarkers and biomaterials
A key aspect of the health of the ocular surface is our ability to assess it using biomarkers, including the microbial commensals whose interactions impact the overall health of the eye. The conference included sessions on this fascinating frontier that looked at a variety of markers and tools—tear fluid, stem cell secretions in the eye—that showed promise. The ocular microbiome and its changing microbial populations have a role to play too, setting the stage for new diagnostics and markers in the future. Speakers at the conference, including engineers, showcased a variety of promising biomaterial technologies that could potentially deliver treatments to specific parts of the eye, including microneedle patches and nanomedicine delivery systems. Finally, the conference showcased leading biomaterial technologists and their products, like biodegradable nanohybrids, 3D-printed corneal scaffolds, and diagnostic models that allow for testing and transition from animal to human studies.

The sessions were interspersed by poster presentations by PhD students, allowing them to showcase their work and receive feedback from their peers. 9 best poster awards were given out at the end of the conference. The event also included a 3D bio-printing workshop for select participants. One of the highlights of the conference was the coming together of art and creative expression. Dr Chakraborty, also an accomplished sitar player, offered a lec-dem on the accessible wonders of Hindustani music, exploring myriad songs ranging from Beethoven to the raags Desh and Miya ki Malhaar. The backroom also featured a collective and collaborative art piece, where participants used water colours to bring to life a multi-colored eye.

The dedicated teamwork by Vivek Singh, Sayan Basu, Vineet Joshi, Swati Singh and their research teams made the event possible. Key support for the conference came from Indian funding agencies like ICMR, DBT, SERB, CSIR for financially supporting this conference.

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