Program

The meeting’s main themes are: 1) Elucidate mechanisms of visual transduction and the function of photoreceptor cells; 2) Understand how the relationship between photoreceptor cells and the retinal pigment epithelium influences visual function; 3) Generate a fundamental understanding of vertebrate and invertebrate light detection, from a variety of species, to generate new ideas about how function is optimized and how dysfunction can be treated.

Conference sessions will present the latest research and foster discussion on:
  • Phototransduction in retinal rods and cones
  • Outer retinal interactions between photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium
  • Visual pigments and color vision  
  • Retinal metabolism and photoreceptor degeneration
  • Photoreceptor synaptic communication with retina
  • Circadian proteins and mechanisms

The conference covers eight sessions with 32 invited speakers, 12 selected abstract presentations, “Meet the Expert” sessions, and a Grant Writing Workshop for trainees. We are delighted to have James B. Hurley (University of Washington) present the keynote lecture on the metabolic landscape of the outer retina.