Speakers

Keynote Speaker
Prof David A. Wilkie

Dr Wilkie was born in Toronto, Canada and obtained his D.V.M. degree in 1984 from the University of Guelph, Canada. He spent one year at the University of Pennsylvania as an intern and in 1985 came to The Ohio State University to begin a 3-year residency and Masters degree in comparative ophthalmology. He received both his Masters degree (MS) and ophthalmology specialty boards (ACVO) in 1988. He was subsequently hired as an Assistant Professor in the department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University. He was promoted to Associate Professor of veterinary ophthalmology in 1994 and he is currently Professor of Ophthalmology. In addition, Dr Wilkie is a Professor in the College of Medicine at The Ohio State University.
Dr Wilkie has trained 15 residents who are Board Certified in the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists or the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. In addition, Dr. Wilkie has provided advanced training in ophthalmology to over 16 veterinarian ophthalmologists from 8 countries.
Dr Wilkie is author of 94 articles, 72 abstracts and 40 textbook chapters, and serves as a research consultant to numerous national and international research facilities. He has served as an editor of several textbooks and is currently a reviewer for 11 Veterinary and Human ophthalmology and research journals and serves on the Editorial Board of 4 Veterinary and Human ophthalmology and research journals. He is the past chairperson of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, Examination Committee and Past-President for the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. Dr. Wilkie currently serves on the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology Foundation board. In addition, Dr. Wilkie has served on the Editorial Review Board and as Associate-Editor for Veterinary Ophthalmology. Dr Wilkie is currently the Editor-in-Chief for the journal of Veterinary Ophthalmology.
He is an international speaker having presented seminars in the USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Great Britain, Russia, Slovenia, Finland, Ireland, Taiwan, Portugal, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. Dr. Wilkie is a respected teacher both at the University and internationally. He has twice been nominated for the Norden Distinguished Teacher Award at Ohio State University.
Dr Wilkie's areas of interest include ocular surgery, inflammatory diseases of the eye, ocular pharmacology, cataract surgery, intraocular lens implantation, glaucoma, and comparative ophthalmology. He is married to Dr Susan Johnson an Associate Professor in small animal internal medicine and they have 2 children in University. In addition to work, Dr. Wilkie plays hockey and enjoys downhill skiing, wilderness canoeing, windsurfing, scuba diving and life at the cottage in Canada.

Keynote Speaker
Prof Peter G.C. Bedford

A graduate of the Royal Veterinary College, London, Peter Bedford was the GDBA Professor of Canine Medicine and Surgery at the College (1992 to 2002) and Head of the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery (1996 to 2002).  Currently he is the Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Ophthalmology (London University), working at the RVC and in private practice primarily in ophthalmology in all domestic species.  He gained his PhD for studies on canine glaucoma and his RCVS Fellowship for work on aqueous dynamics.  He is an RCVS Foundation Diplomate in Veterinary Ophthalmology (1982) and a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (1993).  He is a Past President of the BSAVA (1982-1983) and a Past President of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (1994-1996).  He was President of the European Society of Veterinary Ophthalmology (1987-1991) and is currently a Genetics Committee Member for the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.  He is a RCVS registered Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology.  His interests include all aspects of veterinary and comparative ophthalmology, and current research includes angle bypass surgery for the treatment of canine glaucoma, the aetiology of retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy in the dog and inherited ocular disease in the dog.

Dr. Serge Rosolen

Dr. Rosolen was born in Paris, France and obtained his DVM degree in 1981 (Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort) and his Ph.D in 2001 (UPMC-Paris 6). He is a clinician, specialising in ophthalmology (Diplôme d'Etudes Spécialisées Vétérinaires en Ophtalmologie) and works in private practice in Asnières (Clinique Vétérinaire Voltaire), France. Dr Rosolen is also a senior researcher at the Institut de la Vision (Centre de recherche-Institut de la Vision, INSERM UMRS-968, Centre Hospitalier National des XV-XX. Dir : Prof. J-A Sahel) in the Retinal Information Processing : Pharmacology and Pathologies Department which is directed by Dr. Serge Picaud. The Institut de la Vision is currently a referral center of investigation for Fighting Blindness Foundation.
In addition Dr Rosolen is a consultant in ophthalmology and electrophysiology for numerous international Contract Research Organisations and is currently President of the International Society of Ocular Toxicology. Dr Rosolen is the author of 24 articles (including 13 devoted specifically to electrophysiology) in indexed journals and 94 presentations in international meetings. He is currently a reviewer for international journals such as Documenta Ophthalmologica, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science and Veterinary Ophthalmology. His areas of interest include exploration of the visual function (electrophysiology, angiography) and retinal imaging (Optical Coherent Tomography, Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy and Adaptive Optics) and comparative ophthalmology (rodents, pigs and non human primates).

Dr Rosolen is also pianist, since 1960, in classical and improvisation music. He participates regularly at the ARVO annual concert.

Dr. Cathryn Mellersh

Dr Mellersh has a BSc and a PhD in Genetics and leads the Canine Genetics Group at the Animal Health Trust (AHT).  She has worked at the AHT for almost nine years during which time she has developed and expanded the Canine Genetics Group considerably.  The goal of the majority of studies undertaken by her group is to develop robust DNA tests that breeders can use to determine the genotype of their dogs, with respect to a specific disease-causing mutation, and make sensible breeding decisions that will minimise their risk of producing affected puppies.

Dr. Ines Dineli Bras

Dr. Ines Dineli Bras graduated from Purdue University in 1995. In 2000, she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Louisiana State University. Dr. Bras completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Louisiana Veterinary Referral Center in 2001. From 2001 to 2004 she completed a residency in Comparative Ophthalmology at The Ohio State University in conjunction with her Master's of Science Degree focusing on the canine lens and posterior capsular opacification after cataract surgery. While at Ohio State, Dr. Bras was the recipient of the hospital service award for her dedication to patients and clients.?Dr. Bras is a Diplomate and board-certified member of The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, and is the Secretary and Treasurer of The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists Vision for Animals Foundation. Dr. Bras is a member of the AVMA, LAVMA and the Colegio de Veterinarios de Puerto Rico.

Dr. Bras' special interests in ophthalmology include cataract and glaucoma surgery. Dr. Bras is the pioneer in endolaser surgery for glaucoma, and has developed the surgical approach and technique in canine and feline patients.

Dr. Philippe Durieux

Dr Philippe Durieux, DVM works in private practice in Meaux at the Centre Hospitalier Vétérinaire des Cordeliers. He is responsible for the Ophthalmology Department in this structure. Philippe is certified in ophthalmology (CES ophthalmology), certified in microsurgery, electrophysiology, angiography and retina pathology from Paris VII University in Paris.

Mr. Stuart Ellis

Stuart Ellis graduated from Liverpool in 1982 and worked for 5 years in mixed practice in Lancashire. In 1987 he moved to a small animal practice in Leeds and gained the Certificate in Veterinary Ophthalmology the following year. He joined the BVA Eye Panel in 1991, is currently a member of the Eye Panel Working Party, and was Chief Panellist from 2001-2007. He is a partner in a small animal practice in Preston, Lancashire. His interests include inherited eye disease, lipid abnormalities and ophthalmic photography.

Dr Terence D. Grimes

Terry Grimes graduated at the Royal Veterinary College, London, and joined the surgical staff there before moving to University College Dublin. He has held research and visiting positions in Cambridge, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Sudan, Hungary and Iowa, Us. He received his PhD for work on multiple developmental abnormality of the canine eye.

He is an RCVS Foundation Diplomate in Veterinary Ophthalmology and a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. He also holds a RCVS Diploma in Veterinary Radiology.

Dr Grimes has been widely involved in continuing education and chaired professional U.K. societies of radiology and ophthalmology. His main interests are in ocular maldevelopment and diagnostic method.

Current Dr Grimes is a consultant to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in University College Dublin.

Dr. Marie Abitbol

Dr Marie Abitbol obtained her DVM degree in 1999, from the Alfort School of Veterinary Medicine (Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort: ENVA), France. She worked for five years at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, in quantitative and medical genetics and obtained her PhD in Genetics in 2004. She has been teaching molecular and medical genetics at the ENVA since 2001 and is now an associate professor in that area. At the ENVA, she is currently in charge of the consultation in clinical genetics, counseling pet breeders and owners. She is a member of the canine and feline group in the INRA-ENVA UMR955 Unit dedicated to Functional and Medical Genetics. Her research focuses on the molecular background of canine and feline genetic disorders.