Research seminars

About the series

The Distinguished Speaker Series, presented by the Department of Ophthalmology, Vision and Anatomical Sciences (OVAS) at Wayne State University School of Medicine, is a premier platform for enhancing our knowledge base, promoting innovation, sparking new ideas, and fostering collaboration. A core mission of the series is to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists.

Each seminar features accomplished experts from around the world, sharing their discoveries, cutting-edge technologies, and translational research experiences in their own words. Topics span ophthalmology, vision sciences, ocular immunology, neurobiology, genetics, and imaging—covering everything from the molecular mechanisms underlying health and disease to the development of novel treatments.

Seminars are held on Thursdays at noon during the academic year in the departmental library and streamed live via Zoom. The series brings the best of the world to Detroit while sharing Detroit’s intellectual energy with the world. Through conversations with faculty, students, and trainees, it stimulates innovation, nurtures collaborations, and broadens horizons.

Next seminar

Maria Grant, M.D. — **Mary Ann Stepp, Ph.D**

Mary Ann Stepp, Ph.D

Professor
Anatomy & Cell Biology
GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences

January 29, 2026
Noon – 1 p.m.

On-site location:
OVAS departmental library
8366 Scott Hall

Virtual attendees: join via Zoom

For more information or comments and suggestions, please email:

Beth Berger, Ph.D. or Selina Hall

Seminar schedule

Winter 2026

Date	Speaker	Topic
01/29/2026	Mary Ann Stepp, Ph.D.
02/05/2026	Julie Lefebvre, Ph.D.
02/26/2026	Mallika Somayajulu, Ph.D.
03/19/2026	Nicholas Marsh-Armstrong, Ph.D.
03/26/2026	Renu Kowluru, Ph.D.
04/02/2026	Dimitrios Karamichos, Ph.D.
04/23/2026	Rui Chen, Ph.D.
5/21/2026	Sophie Deng, M.D., Ph.D.	"From bench to beside: Development of a limbal stem sell therapy"
5/28/2026	Andy Taylor, Ph.D.	"Mechanisms of Immune Privilege: A Journey"

2025-26 Speakers Series archive

Distinguished Speaker Series 2025-26

Date	Speaker	Topic
September 18, 2025	Yang Sun, M.D./Ph.D Professor of Ophthalmology, Stanford University School of Medicine Laurie Kraus Lacob Faculty Scholar, Stanford Child Health Research Institute	Inositol metabolism and eye development and disease
October 09, 2025	Ching-Hwa Sung, Ph.D Professor of Cell Biology in Ophthalmology, Betty Neuwirth Lee and Chilly Professor in Stem Cell Research, Weill Cornell Medicine	From Retina to Parkinson’s: Disrupted Photoreceptor Trafficking Links Lipid Imbalance and Protein Aggregation in Neurodegenerative Disease
October 17, 2025	Timothy A Blenkinsop, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Cell, Development & Regenerative Biology, Member of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai	Iris Organoids, A Model for Aniridia and other Eye Diseases
October 30, 2025	Yihe Chen, Ph.D Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School	Pathogenic Memory CD4⁺ T Cells in Chronic Ocular Inflammatory Diseases: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities
December, 04 2025	Maria Grant, M.D. Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Eivor and Alston Callahan, MD, Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham	Inside out solutions: Modulating gut health for prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy
December, 18 2025	Mark Charlton-Perkins, Ph.D Assistant Professor of Biology, Miami University	From Structure to Function: Glial Regulation of Retinal Neurons

Trainee Seminars 2025-26

Date	Speakers	Topics

2024-2025 Speakers Series archive

Distinguished Speaker Series 2024-25

Date	Speaker	Topic	WSU Host
September 19, 2024	Eric Pearlman, Ph.D. Director, Institute for Immunology; Professor Physiology & Biophysics, Ophthalmology University of California Irvine, School of Medicine	Neutrophil activation and cell death in Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis View recorded seminar	Shunbin Xu	Distinguished Speaker
October 17, 2024	Kaustabh Ghosh, Ph.D. Associate Professor Ophthalmology University of California, Los Angeles; Doheny Eye Institute	Mechanobiology of Retinal Vascular Inflammation and Degeneration in Diabetes. View recorded seminar	Ahmed Ibrahim	Distinguished Speaker
November 7, 2024	Marcelo M. Nociari, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Ophthalmology, immunonology and genetic medicine Weill Cornell Medical College	Novel Therapies for Retinal Atrophy in Dry AMD and Stargardt Disease View recorded seminar	Nikhlesh Singh	Distinguished Speaker
November 21, 2024	Steve H DeVries, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Ophthalmology & Neuroscience University of California, Los Angeles; Doheny Eye Institute	The cone synapse at nanoscale: single protein localization and single vesicle transmission. View recorded seminar	Tomomi Ichinose	Distinguished Speaker
December 5, 2024	Harald Junge, Ph.D. Mary and Marian Robinson Chair in Macular Degeneration, Associate Professor and Research Director Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Neuroscience University of Minnesota	The Norrin/Frizzled4 signaling pathway controls the blood-retina barrier and is a target for therapeutic intervention View recorded seminar	Nikhlesh Singh	Distinguished Speaker
January 23, 2025	Lu Chen, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Optometry & Vision Science Center for Eye Disease and Development, Vision Science Graduate Program, and School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of California at Berkeley	Novel insights into ocular lymphatics	Shunbin Xu	Distinguished Speaker
February 2, 2025	Heather Chandler, Ph.D. Professor College of Optometry Ohio State University	Novel strategies to reduce corneal fibrosis View recorded seminar		Distinguished Speaker
February 20, 2025	George L King, M.D. Thomas J. Beatson, Jr. Professor of Medicine and Professor of Ophthalmology, Chief Scientific Officer Harvard Medical School	Retinal Binding Protein 3 (RBP3), a Biomarker or Therapeutic Protective Factor for Diabetic Retinopathy View recorded seminar	Bruce Berkowitz	Distinguished Speaker
March 20, 2025	Tomomi Ichinose, M.D., Ph.D. Professor OVAS Wayne State University	Watch out for your preparations! Lessons from retinal neurophysiological research View recorded seminar	Shunbin Xu	Tranlastional Research Update
April 3, 2025	Daniel R Saban, Ph.D. Professor Ophthalmology Duke University School of Medicine	The cornea harbors a tricellular neuro-immune niche that underpins touch *View recorded seminar*	Shunbin Xu	Distinguished Speaker
April 17, 2025	Justin P Kumar, Ph.D. Professor Biology Indiana University	Graded transcription factor expression mediates the choice between distinct organ fates *View recorded seminar*	Markus Friedrich	Distinguished Speaker
May 22, 2025	Stephen Flugfelder, M.D. Professor and James and Margaret Elkins Chair in Ophthalmology Ophthalmology Baylor College of Medicine	Is Dry Eye Caused by a Lack of Tears? View recorded seminar	Shunbin Xu	Distinguished Speaker

Trainee Seminars 2024-25

Date	Speakers	Topics
Oct. 31, 2024	Hubert O. Acheampong, PhD candidate Abdul Rhman Hassan, MD.	Application and validation of a novel mitophagy reporter in Drosophila melanogaster Cellular mechanisms of pupil light reflex in the mouse retina
May 1, 2025	Ryan Insolera Nihklesh Singh	Innate immune activation contributes to neurodegeneration in a fly model of familial ataxia Role of IL-33 Induced Microglia Activation in Proliferative Retinopathies

Date

Speakers

Topics

Oct. 31, 2024

Hubert O. Acheampong, PhD candidate
Abdul Rhman Hassan, MD.

Application and validation of a novel mitophagy reporter in Drosophila melanogaster

Cellular mechanisms of pupil light reflex in the mouse retina

May 1, 2025

Ryan Insolera

Nihklesh Singh

Innate immune activation contributes to neurodegeneration in a fly model of familial ataxia

Role of IL-33 Induced Microglia Activation in Proliferative
Retinopathies

2023-2024 Speaker Series archive

Distinguished Speaker Series 2023-24

Date	Speaker	Topic	WSU Host
Sept 7, 2023	Anthony St. Leger, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology and Immunology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine	Exploiting the ocular microbiome and neuroimmune axis during blinding ocular surface disease. View recorded seminar	Shunbin Xu
Oct. 5, 2023	Ning Tian, Ph.D. Professor Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences University of Utah	Immune proteins in RGC development and protection View recorded seminar	Zhuohua Pan
Oct. 19, 2023	Justin Kenney Assistant professor Biological Sciences College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, WSU	Identifying the neural and molecular basis for individual differences in the exploratory behavior of zebrafish	Ryan Thummel
Nov. 2, 2023	Ryan Thummel, Ph.D. Associate Professor Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences WSU School of Medicine Renu Kowluru, Ph.D. Professor Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences WSU School of Medicine	Bedside to Bench: Examples of Enhanced Training Opportunities in OVAS/KEI Diabetic macular edema: Anti-VEGF therapy and epigenetically modified mitochondrial DNA
Nov. 16, 2023	Bruce Berkowitz, Ph.D. Professor Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences WSU School of Medicine	Mitigating threats to sight with translational mitochondrial biomarker imaging View recorded seminar
Nov. 30, 2023	Mary Marquart, Ph.D. Professor Cell and Molecular Biology University of Mississippi Medical Center	Innovative Cold Atmospheric Plasma (iCAP) for the Treatment of Microbial Keratitis View recorded seminar	Ashok Kumar
Dec. 14, 2023	Bart Borghuis, Ph.D. Associate professor Anatomical Sciences & NeurobiologyInstitute: University of Louisville	Understanding retinal visual function using live imaging and targeted electrophysiology View recorded seminar	Tomomi Ichinose
Jan.18, 2024	Danielle Robertson, O.D., Ph.D. Professor Department of Ophthalmology UT Southwestern Medical Center	Mitochondria as mediators of host defense in the cornea: implications for contact lens-related bacterial keratitis View recorded seminar	Fu-shin Yu
Feb. 1, 2024	Przemyslaw (Mike) Sapieha, Ph.D. Wolfe Professor in Translational Research FROUM Endowed Chair Canada Research Chair in Retinal Cell Biology Member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada Professor of Ophthalmology, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Montreal	Targeting Cellular Senescence in the Retina: From dish to Clinic View recorded seminar	Ahmed Ibrahim
Feb. 29, 2024	Vladimir Jivkov Kefalov, PhD Professor Ophthalmology University of California Irvine	From a cone-specific visual cycle to prevention of retinal degeneration View recorded seminar	Bruce Berkowitz
March 28, 2024	Monica Vetter, PhD Professor and Chair Department of Neurobiology University of Utah School of Medicine	Pathways for generation and elimination of retinal ganglion cells View recorded seminar	Ryan Thummel
April 11, 2024	Akihiro Ikeda, Ph.D. Professor Genetics College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health University of Wisconsin, Madison	Genetics of retinal aging and lipid metabolism - role of peroxisomes and mitochondria View recorded seminar	Nikhlesh Singh
April 25 2024	Samer Hattar, Ph.D. Chief and Senior Investigator Head of the Section on Light and Circadian Rhythms (SLCR) Intramural Research Program National Institute of Mental Health	The impact of light on animal behvaior View recorded seminar	Bruce Berkowitz

Translational research updates 2023-24

Date	Speakers	Topics
Nov. 2, 2023	Ryan Thummel, Ph.D. Associate Professor Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences WSU School of Medicine Renu Kowluru, Ph.D. Professor Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences WSU School of Medicine	Bedside to Bench: Examples of Enhanced Training Opportunities in OVAS/KEI Diabetic macular edema: Anti-VEGF therapy and epigenetically modified mitochondrial DNA View recorded seminar
Nov. 16, 2023	Bruce Berkowitz, Ph.D. Professor Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences WSU School of Medicine	Mitigating threats to sight with translational mitochondrial biomarker imaging View recorded seminar

Date

Speakers

Topics

Nov. 2, 2023

Ryan Thummel, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences
WSU School of Medicine

Renu Kowluru, Ph.D.
Professor
Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences
WSU School of Medicine

Bedside to Bench: Examples of Enhanced Training Opportunities in OVAS/KEI

Diabetic macular edema: Anti-VEGF therapy and epigenetically modified mitochondrial DNA

View recorded seminar

Nov. 16, 2023

Bruce Berkowitz, Ph.D.
Professor
Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences
WSU School of Medicine

Mitigating threats to sight with translational mitochondrial biomarker imaging

View recorded seminar

Trainee Seminars 2023-24

Date	Speakers	Topics
Previous Trainee Seminar(s)
Feb 15, 2024	Nan Gao Research scientist	The role of exosomes in mediating corneal wound healing in normal and diabetic mice
Feb 15, 2024	Nicole Oska MD candidate	Retinal endothelial barrier and bioenergetics View recorded seminar
Sept. 21, 2023	Jeremy Bohl PhD candidate	Long-Distance Cholinergic Feedback- From Starburst Amacrine Cells to Retinal Bipolar Cells Enhances Direction Selectivity in the Mammalian Retina
Sept. 21, 2023	Zeeshan Ahmed Postdoctoral Research Fellow	Host NAD+ Metabolism Perturbation in Bacterial Endophthalmitis