2025 Annual Meeting and Alumni Reunion
2025 Annual Meeting and Alumni Reunion
June 12 - 13, 2025  ·  The Starr Center

All current and former Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology residents, fellows, and postdocs and all current and former faculty members are invited to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting and Alumni Reunion on Thursday, June 12 - Friday, June 13, 2025 in Boston, MA.

 

This dynamic meeting of scientific exchange and networking is designed to familiarize attendees with new research, to provide updates on emerging clinical practices in the field of ophthalmology, and to spark new collaborations within our unique community. Our program is designed to proportionally cover the anterior and posterior segments of the eye as well as eye care, visual function, and optics.

Program
Thursday, June 12
12:00 PM
12:30 PM - 12:35 PM
12:30 PM - 12:35 PM
Eric D. Gaier, MD, PhD (2017, 2019) and Rachel M. Huckfeldt, MD, PhD (2013, 2016)
12:35 PM - 12:40 PM
12:35 PM - 12:40 PM
Eric D. Gaier, MD, PhD (2017, 2019)
1:05 PM - 1:15 PM
1:15 PM - 1:25 PM
1:30 PM - 1:40 PM
1:40 PM - 1:50 PM
1:40 PM - 1:50 PM
Janey L. Wiggs, MD, PhD
1:50 PM - 2:00 PM
1:50 PM - 2:00 PM
Aparna Raghuram, OD, PhD
2:05 PM - 2:15 PM
2:15 PM - 2:20 PM
2:15 PM - 2:20 PM
Cherrell Price (2021)
2:20 PM - 3:00 PM
2:20 PM - 3:00 PM
3:00 PM - 3:10 PM
3:10 PM - 3:20 PM
3:20 PM - 3:30 PM
3:35 PM - 3:45 PM
3:35 PM - 3:45 PM
Jennifer Lindsey, MD, MBA
3:50 PM - 4:00 PM
4:00 PM - 4:05 PM
4:05 PM - 4:15 PM
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM
4:45 PM - 4:50 PM
4:45 PM - 4:50 PM
Joan W. Miller, MD (1989, 1991) and Joseph F. Rizzo III, MD (1986)
4:50 PM - 4:55 PM
4:50 PM - 4:55 PM
Eric D. Gaier, MD, PhD (2017, 2019) and Rachel M. Huckfeldt, MD, PhD (2013, 2016)
4:55 PM
4:55 PM
5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday, June 13
8:15 AM
8:15 AM - 8:45 AM
8:15 AM - 8:45 AM
Badge pickup and onsite registration will be available
8:45 AM - 8:50 AM
8:45 AM - 8:50 AM
Joseph F. Rizzo III, MD (1986) and Joseph B. Ciolino, MD (2004, 2009)
8:50 AM - 9:05 AM
8:50 AM - 9:05 AM
Thomas Dohlman, MD (2020)
9:05 AM - 9:20 AM
9:05 AM - 9:20 AM
Nailyn Rasool, MD (2015)
9:20 AM - 9:40 AM
9:20 AM - 9:40 AM
9:40 AM - 9:55 AM
9:55 AM - 10:40 AM
9:55 AM - 10:40 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
Stella K. Kim, MD (2000)
11:00 AM - 11:20 AM
11:00 AM - 11:20 AM
Roberto Pineda II, MD (1994, 1995, 1996)
11:20 AM - 11:25 AM
11:20 AM - 11:25 AM
David M. Wu, MD, PhD
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
1:05 PM - 1:25 PM
1:05 PM - 1:25 PM
Joan W. Miller, MD (1989, 1991)
1:25 PM - 1:45 PM
1:45 PM - 2:05 PM
1:45 PM - 2:05 PM
Daniel J. Townsend, MD (1984, 1985)
2:05 PM - 2:10 PM
2:05 PM - 2:10 PM
Lotfi Merabet, OD, PhD, MPH
2:45 PM - 3:30 PM
2:45 PM - 3:30 PM
3:30 PM - 3:50 PM
3:30 PM - 3:50 PM
Dorothy Horns, MD (1980)
3:50 PM - 4:15 PM
4:15 PM - 4:20 PM
4:15 PM - 4:20 PM
Joan W. Miller, MD (1989, 1991)
4:20 PM - 4:55 PM
4:55 PM - 5:00 PM
4:55 PM - 5:00 PM
Joseph F. Rizzo III, MD (1986) and Joseph B. Ciolino, MD (2004, 2009)
5:00 PM
5:00 PM
6:00 PM - 9:30 PM
9:30 PM
9:30 PM
Trainee Poster Contest

A department-wide, trainee poster contest will take place on Friday, June 13, 2025 during the cocktail reception (6:00-7:30 PM) at The Newbury Hotel. This is an opportunity to discover and discuss developing research in all areas of ophthalmology from Harvard Ophthalmology's research labs.


ELIGIBILITY & PRIZES


Posters will be grouped into categories by subspecialty area of interest with a cash prize awarded for the top poster in each category. Please note, the final categories will be determined by the number of submissions.

 

The winners in the four final categories will be announced during dinner and each winner will be awarded $100.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

 

  • All current residents, research fellows, clinical fellows, and other students at Harvard Medical School Department of Ophthalmology are eligible to participate.
  • Work that has been presented at other meetings (including ARVO) is welcome.
  • Attendance for the entire meeting (Thursday and Friday, June 12-13, 2025) is required.
  • Trainees must be present at their poster for the entire Friday night reception (6:00-7:30 PM).
  • Trainees must be present at the dinner starting at 7:30 PM.



POSTER DESIGN

 

We will be utilizing easels to display the trainee posters (instead of the traditional bulletin boards). The easels require that the trainee posters to be mounted onto a firm backing, so we are offering to provide printing, mounting, and delivery to The Newbury hotel, free of charge (see POSTER PRINTING below).

 

The image area of the poster is a maximum of 36 inches wide (100 cm) by 24 inches tall (60.96 cm) in a landscape format. Materials, including the title, may not extend beyond the image area. 

 

When designing your poster, make sure to set your poster dimension before you start. (If using PowerPoint, you can click on the “Design” tab, then click on the “Slide Size” dropdown, select “Custom Slide Size” and enter 36 in width x 24 in height) 


Guidelines & Tips:

  • Keep materials clear and concise.
  • Include complete disclosures relevant to the abstract’s subject matter (see Disclosures below).
  • Produce legible material from a distance of at least three feet.
  • Use large print and shade or color block letters, when possible.
  • For legibility, a minimum font size of 28 points and a maximum of 600 words are recommended.
  • Page margins of at least 0.5 in (1.27 cm) are encouraged, especially for those planning to print their own posters.
  • Avoid using blue-green and magenta-violet, which appear gray to red-green color-blind colleagues.
  • Avoid using red or green - up to 5% of the population is red-green color blind.
  • Use a layout for the poster that follows the main headings used in the abstract (i.e. Purpose, Methods, Results, and Conclusion).
  • Do not use industry logos, registered trademarks, trade names, or product-group messages of any defined commercial interests (see DISCLOSURES below).
  • Including e-mail address on the poster will assist viewers with contacting poster presenters later.

DISCLOSURES

 

Full disclosure must be listed on the poster. Presenting authors must fully disclose to the session participants all commercial relationships with ineligible companies that existed within the past 24 months and non-remunerative positions that may create a conflict of interest. Full disclosure will include the name(s) of the commercial interest and the nature of the relationship(s). Indicate “None” if no relationships exist.

POSTER PRINTING


Free Option:

  • Poster printing and delivery is available free of charge to contestants who email their artwork in advance (as a PDF file).
  • Trainees who wish to take advantage of this opportunity, must send their final artwork by Friday, May 25, 2025 (see POSTER DESIGN above) to Ophthalmology_Events@meei.harvard.edu.
  • The day of the contest, these trainees can arrive by 6:00 PM at The Newbury Hotel where they will be directed to their poster location.  

Self-pay Option:

  • Trainees may also choose to print and mount their posters at their own expense.
  • Please note that printing and mounting posters can cost $75-$100 per poster.
  • The final poster dimensions will need to be 36 inches wide x 24 inches tall (see POSTER DESIGN above) 
  • Since the easels do not have backing, the posters need to be mounted onto a foam core board.
  • Trainees who wish to print their own poster will need to notify the meeting organizers by Friday, May 25, 2025.
  • The day of the contest, these trainees need to arrive by 5:40 PM at The Newbury Hotel, so they can be directed to their designated location and place their poster. 

PRESENTATION

 

The presenting author is expected to present and prepared to discuss their poster with attendees and the poster contest judges throughout the cocktail reception on Friday, June 13, 2025 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM.

 

All presenters are expected to:

  • Present the same work described in the abstract, with the same title and content.
  • Disclose commercial relationships. A commercial interest is any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by or used on patients.
  • Design a presentation that is independent, objective, scientifically rigorous, balanced, and free of bias.
  • Assure that scientific studies utilized or referenced in their presentation are from sources acceptable to the scientific and medical community.
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires disclosures to be made to session participants of unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or devices contained in presentations. You must disclose any such uses when discussing unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or devices.

When speaking with the judges, you will need to keep your conversation to 5 minutes only. You will be judged by your ability to present your work in a clear and concise manner within the allotted time frame.

QUESTIONS

If you have questions, please email Ophthalmology_Events@meei.harvard.edu.

 

 

Accreditation Statement
  1. In support of improving patient care, Boston Children’s Hospital is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. 


    OPHTHALMOLOGISTS: Boston Children’s Hospital designates this live activity for a maximum of 12.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.


    OPTOMETRISTS: Boston Children’s Hospital designates this live activity for a maximum of 12.0 COPE credit hours. Optometrists should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. The course number is 250612-JA.

    COURSE OVERVIEW


    The Harvard Department of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting and Alumni Reunion is a two-day course aimed at updating ophthalmologists (including ophthalmology residents and fellows), optometrists, and vision researchers about the latest advances in ophthalmology clinical care and research. New research advances and therapies are changing the practice of ophthalmology. The pace of these advances leads to gaps in knowledge, as practicing clinicians face the challenge of keeping up-to date on new information; and competence, as physicians often lack strategies for incorporating these advances into their practice.


    This course is designed to address a wide range of gaps in knowledge and competence regarding ophthalmic clinical practice and ophthalmic research. Our program is designed to proportionally cover advances in understanding and managing disease of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye. In addition, the impact of emerging technologies and their utilization in ophthalmology will be discussed.  The main goal is to familiarize the audience with new research and updates on emerging clinical practices in the field of ophthalmology. 


    The format consists of short didactic lectures each followed by discussion and an interactive question session with the audience. The lectures will feature Harvard faculty members and distinguished alumni discussing their areas of clinical and/or research expertise.

    TARGET AUDIENCE

     

    Ophthalmologists and Optometrists 

    LEARNING OBJECTIVES

     

    Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:  

    1. Be better able to describe advances in the diagnosis and management of ophthalmic disease
    2. Be able to discuss clinical innovations and updated treatment paradigms in areas outside the scope of their own practice
    3. Understand how studying ophthalmic disease at a molecular level can improve the understanding of pathophysiology and guide new therapies
    4. Understand the process by which new therapies are developed and assessed as well as potential new drugs resulting from that process
    5. Describe opportunities within ophthalmology to use big data and digital technologies to advance knowledge and patient care.

    ACCREDITATION AND MARKETING FEES

     

    Fees associated with AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ have been provided by the HMS Department of Ophthalmology. Fees associated with COPE credit hours have been provided by the HMS Department of Ophthalmology.

    CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

     

    CME should be developed free from the control of commercial interests and be balanced, objective, and scientifically rigorous. BCH is committed to providing lifelong learning opportunities to providers of medical care, medical education, and medical research and has an obligation to lead high quality, evidence-based CME. BCH recognizes that to ensure transparency of financial relationships and eliminate commercial bias in CME activities, anyone who is in a position to control CME content (e.g. planners, instructors, reviewers, etc.) must disclose to their BCH course director any financial relationships with a commercial interest that are relevant to the proposed CME activity in order for BCH, through its course directors and DCME staff, to use the mechanisms described below to identify and resolve all conflicts of interests prior to the CME activity taking place. If any individual who is in a position to control content of CME refuses to disclose relevant financial relationships to BCH, he/she will be automatically disqualified.


    The intent of this policy is not to prevent a speaker with a potential conflict of interest from making a presentation. It is intended that any potential conflict should be identified openly so that the potential conflicts are resolved to the satisfaction of the accrediting body early in the planning process. In addition, program participants will have full disclosure of the facts to make an informed judgment.  


    Organizer Disclosures

    Co-chairs

    • Joan W. Miller, MD – Disclosure pending
    • Joseph R. Rizzo II, MD – Disclosure pending
    • Joseph Ciolino, MD – Disclosure pending
    • Rachel Huckfeldt, MD, PhD – Disclosure pending
    • Eric Gaier, MD, PhD – Disclosure pending


    Continuing Education Reviewers/Approvers

    • Lesley Niccolini (CME) – No relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
    • Greg Durkin (Nursing) – No relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
    • Crystal Tom (Pharmacy) – No relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
    • Pamela Chamorro (Social Work) – No relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
    • Eugene D’Angelo (Psychology) – No relevant financial relationships to disclose. 
    • Stephen Shusterman (Dentistry) – No relevant financial relationships to disclose. 

    RECORDING ATTENDANCE


    The HMS Department of Ophthalmology will provide sign-in sheets at registration to record attendance. These lists will be shared with the Boston Children’s Continuing Education Department for proof of attendance. In addition, Boston Children’s Continuing Education Department has provided a phone number to allow participants use a text-in-attendance feature during the session. Participants can text course CloudCME activity ID number PO76T to 844-998-2674

    CME/CE ACTIVITY EVALUATION AND CERTIFICATES


    After the meeting, the Boston Children’s Continuing Education Department will distribute a course evaluation form via an online system. Course participants will receive their CE certificates once they have completed their evaluation form in the online system. Each participant is asked to attest to the hours that they participated in the activity.

    QUESTIONS

    If you have questions, please email Ophthalmology_Events@meei.harvard.edu.