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ASEF-PSOM Talk: A Vision of Hope

The Spring Distinguished Speaker Program of the Association of Senior and Emeritus Faculty-Perelman School of Medicine (ASEF-PSOM) presents Jean Bennett, F.M. Kirby Professor of Ophthalmology at the Perelman School of Medicine, who will speak about A Vision of Hope: Prospects for Gene Therapy for Blinding Disease at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27 in the Biomedical Research Building (BRB II/III) Auditorium. A reception  will follow in the lobby. RSVP to kayvon@upenn.edu

This presentation will describe the path researchers established for translational studies, and some of the challenges presented by the nature of the targeted disease itself, hurdles that have been navigated in order to conduct gene therapy studies, and issues of importance for eventual approval of gene augmentation as a therapy for other forms of vision loss.

“Gene therapy has the potential to reverse disease or prevent further deterioration of sensory organs in patients with incurable degenerative diseases. The demonstration of safe and stable recovery of retinal/visual function in children and adults with congenital blindness due to Retinal Pigment Epithelial 65 mutations in gene therapy trials being carried out at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and in Iowa provide great hope for people with other more common blinding diseases,” said Dr. Bennett.

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