A focused group meeting on Ophthalmic Pathology and Oncology was held on December 2, 2024, bringing together a distinguished panel of global experts to explore the latest advancements and research developments in the field. The meeting included the following sessions:
- Prof. Arun Singh, Head of Ophthalmic Oncology at the Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland, USA, led an in-depth case discussion. He emphasized clinico-pathological correlations, the critical role of cytological analysis and imaging, and the adoption of innovative surgical techniques.
- Dr Vinit Mahajan, Vice-Chair of the Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, USA, presented groundbreaking research on uveal melanoma. His work focused on tumor protein profiling in aqueous humor to identify immune checkpoints and drug-sensitive pathways, addressing tumor heterogeneity. He also discussed single-cell sequencing of the 'MESO' environment in the eye.
- Dr Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University, USA, shared insights on gene expression prediction from ultra-widefield fundus photographs using automated machine learning techniques.
- Dr Martina Herwig Carl, Senior Physician at the University of Bonn, Germany, showcased histopathological findings from two post-mortem eyes that had undergone subretinal chip implantation for geographic atrophy.
- Dr Yamini Krishna, Consultant at Liverpool University Hospital, UK, provided an update on the classification of conjunctival melanocytic intraepithelial lesions.
- Dr Shahar Frenkel, Head of Oncology at Hadassah Medical Centre, Jerusalem, Israel, contributed to the discussions with his expertise in ocular oncology.
The meeting concluded with an intensive clinico-pathological case discussion of 14 rare cases, highlighting clinical and histopathological diagnostic markers and the application of new molecular techniques.
