Eyecelerator @ AAO 2025

Registration and breakfast

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Welcome and Overview of Eyecelerator @ AAO 2025​​​​

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Speakers:

• Stephen D. McLeod, MD, CEO, American Academy of Ophthalmology

• Gil Kliman, MD, MBA, Program Director

• Allen C. Ho, MD, Retina Program Director

​​​Moderators:

• Gil Kliman, MD, MBA, Program Director

• Ramin Valian, VP, Eyecare Global Pipeline and Commercial Strategy, AbbVie

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​Speakers: 

Market Overview

• Kristen Harmon Ingenito, MBA, CEO, Market Scope

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Capital Market Overview

• Neha Begwani, MBA, Managing Director, Healthcare Investment,
  Morgan Stanley

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VC Overview

• Garrett Hamontree, MBA, Partner, Visionary Ventures

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​Panel: 

• Neha Begwani, MBA, Managing Director, Healthcare Investment,
  Morgan Stanley

• Garrett Hamontree, MBA, Partner, Visionary Ventures

• Kristen Harmon Ingenito, MBA, CEO, Market Scope

• James C. Murray, JD, Founder and Managing Member, ExSight Ventures, LLC

• Roger Zhang, PhD, VP, Samsara BioCapital

​​​Moderators: 

• Reza Zadno, PhD, Former President & CEO, PROCEPT BioRobotics

• Lejla Vajzovic, MD, Program Committee

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Speaker: 

Medical Robotics

• Frederic Moll, MD, MS, Co-Founder, Intuitive, Co-Founder & Partner, Sonder Capital

Panel: 

• David F. Chang, MD, Chair, Clinical Advisory Board, ForSight Robotics

• Jean-Pierre Hubschman, MD, Co-Founder and CEO, Horizon Surgical System

• Franck Leveiller, PhD, SVP, Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President, Head Global Research & Development, Alcon

• Frederic Moll, MD, MS, Co-Founder, Intuitive, Co-Founder & Partner, Sonder Capital

• Michelle Tarver, MD, PhD, Center Director, CDHR, FDA

Networking Break 
 

​Moderators: 

• Allen C. Ho, MD, Retina Program Director

• Charles C. Wykoff, MD, PhD, Program Committee

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​Speakers: 

• Carol Y. Cheung, PhD, Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Aaron Y. Lee, MD, Arthur W. Stickle Distinguished Professor and Chair, Hardesty Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine

• Cecilia S. Lee, MD, MS, Professor of Ophthalmology, Washington University School of Medicine

• David Rhew, MD, Global CMO and Vice President of Healthcare, Microsoft

• Joel S. Schuman, MD, Professor and Vice Chair for Research Innovation, Wills Eye Hospital

• Robert C. Sergott, MD, Executive Director, Jefferson EyeBrain Center

• Ali Tafreshi, CEO and President, Topcon Healthcare, Inc., Founding Member, Alliance for Healthcare from the Eye

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​Panel: 

• Carol Y. Cheung, PhD, Professor, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Aaron Y. Lee, MD, Arthur W. Stickle Distinguished Professor and Chair, Hardesty Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine

• Cecilia S. Lee, MD, MS, Professor of Ophthalmology, Washington University School of Medicine

• David Rhew, MD, Global CMO and Vice President of Healthcare, Microsoft

• Joel S. Schuman, MD, Professor and Vice Chair for Research Innovation, Wills Eye Hospital

• Robert C. Sergott, MD, Executive Director, Jefferson EyeBrain Center

• Ali Tafreshi, CEO and President, Topcon Healthcare, Inc., Founding Member, Alliance for Healthcare from the Eye

​Moderators: 

• Robert L. Avery, MD, Program Co-Chair

• Rajesh K. Rajpal, MD, Program Committee

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Panel:

• Laurent Attias, SVP Corporate Strategy, BD&L and M&A, Alcon

• Pravin U. Dugel, MD, President & CEO, Ocular Therapeutix

• Andrew Gitkin, Senior Managing Director, Leerink Partners

• David R. Guyer, MD, CEO, EyeBio, A Subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.

• Esther Melo, PhD, BD&L Director, Partnering, Roche Pharma

• Peter Sandor, MD, MBA, EVP Head of Corporate Strategy, Astellas Pharma

The Shark Tank-style competition will feature pitches from these three early-stage ophthalmology innovators, with judges and the audience awarding cash prizes worth $45,000. ​

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​Finalists: 

• Leanne Labriola, DO, MBA: InnSight Technology

• Nikolas Pontikos, PhD: Eye2Gene Ltd

• Joaquin Sosa-Lockward, MD: Neobuckle

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​Moderators: 

• Vance Thompson, MD, Ophthalmologist, Vance Thompson Vision

• Julie M. Schallhorn, MD, MS, Professor, Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco   

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Judges:

• Erin Powers, MBA, President, North America, Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision

• Namrata Saroj, OD, Chief Business Officer, Ocular Therapeutix, Inc.

• Firas M. Rahhal, MD, Partner, ExSight Ventures, LLC

Enjoy a bite to eat with your colleagues.​​

Forty-two companies present innovative new treatments, products, and services. Three breakout rooms will operate simultaneously for each segment. Links for showcase schedules will be updated below:

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Anterior Segment -  Room: W221

Moderators:

• Julie M. Schallhorn, MD, MS, Program Committee

• Kuldev Singh, MD, Program Committee

Delivery / Device / Surgical- Room: W222

Moderators:

• Robert L. Avery, MD, Program Co-Chair

• Rajesh K. Rajpal, MD, Program Committee

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Posterior / Retina - Room: W230

Moderators:

• Rishi P. Singh, MD, Incoming Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Mass Eye and Ear, Mass General Brigham

• Lejla Vajzovic, MD, Program Committee

Networking Break ​

Presentation of Eyecelerator’s Innovator Award to Glaukos

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​Moderator:

• James V. Mazzo, Executive Chair, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Panel:

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• Thomas W. Burns, Chairman & CEO, Glaukos

• Robert L. Davis, JD, SVP, General Counsel & Business Development, Glaukos

• Joseph E. Gilliam, President & COO, Glaukos

• Tomas Navratil, PhD, Chief Development Officer, Glaukos

• Thomas W. Samuelson, MD, Founding Partner, Minnesota Eye Consultants

​​Moderators:

• Kuldev Singh, MD, Program Committee

• Julia A. Haller, MD, Ophthalmologist-in-Chief, Wills Eye Hospital

Panel:

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• Michelle E. Tarver, MD, PhD, Center Director, CDRH, FDA

• Heidi I. Becker, MD, Ophthalmology Clinical Reviewer, CBER, FDA

The program committee wraps the day with the People's Choice recognition of best presenting company by segment.  

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Enjoy refreshments and connect!