UsherKids Australia Research Conference & Family Day in Brisbane

Celebrating our Growing Global Community

Usher Syndrome Awareness Day is observed on the third Saturday of September and falls on September 16 this year.   Usher Syndrome Awareness Day seeks to bring attention to the most common genetic cause of combined deafness and blindness. By raising awareness around the world, we connect those living with Usher syndrome and accelerate research towards treatments and a cure.  

To celebrate, we will be hosting a Research Conference and Family Day in Brisbane on Saturday, 16th September 2023 from 10am-3pm. The day will include a research update on the various studies in Australia that are focusing on the clinical treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, the eye condition associated with Usher syndrome. It will also include lots of fun things for the children and teens, including a visit from our friends at Ocean Life Education.  

If you would like more details, please email tracey@usherkidsaustralia.com.

We’re hoping to see as many of our families get up to beautiful Brisbane for this event.

Research Conference Program

Presentations from leading researchers including:

Associate Professor Lauren Ayton

Principal Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne and Centre for Eye Research Australia.

A/Prof Ayton is an optometrist with research specialisation in inherited retinal disease and gene therapy. A/Prof Ayton has recently joined the UsherKids Australia Board and brings with her a wealth of expertise in clinician education and clinical assessment of visual performance. A/Prof Ayton has led a number of projects looking at clinical and patient perspectives of disease and will provide an overview of the VENTURE Inherited Retinal Disease Natural History Registry.

Dr Anai Gonzalez-Cordero

Group Leader Stem Cell Medicine Children’s Medical Research Institute, Sydney

Dr Gonzalez Cordero is a research scientist with a background in developmental biology. Her interests include stem cell biology,in vitrodifferentiation, mechanisms and treatment of inherited retinal and auditory degenerations and cell therapies. Dr. Gonzalez-Cordero will explain her research journey aimed at developing cell therapy by transplantation of the light-sensing cells of the retina. This therapy promises to be effective for a range of inherited retinal diseases, including Usher syndrome.

Dr Eden Robertson

Researcher and Lecturer, University of New South Wales

Dr Robertson is an experienced psychosocial researcher and is driven by the need to improve the well-being of children and young people with chronic illnesses. She takes pride in conducting meaningful research that can be implemented to bring about positive change. Dr Robertson is currently leading a Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) with researchers from UNSW Sydney and Children’s Medical Research Institute to establish the research priorities of patients, carers and clinicians regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Inherited Retinal Diseases which she will share details of in this presentation.

Brett Caldwell

Clinical Trials Manager, Queensland Eye Institute (QEI)

Brett studied for a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and has been working in eye health for almost 20 years. Brett has been involved in clinical trials since 2014. The ability to bring new treatments to help people, particularly when there is no existing treatment is what he enjoys about clinical trials. Brett is currently the clinical trials manager of the Nacuity Trial at QEI, a promising oral anti-oxidant treatment that hopes to slow the progression of retinitis pigmentosa in people with Usher syndrome.