ARVO 2026
DCs
DC9 – Maria Zawadzka was at ARVO for her first time, making the experience both exciting and challenging. As one of the largest and most dynamic conferences in the field of vision research, navigating its scale, sessions, and networking opportunities can be overwhelming for newcomers. Throughout the event, she benefited greatly from the support of her colleague Chiara Ceresoni DC10, who had previously attended ARVO twice and could provide valuable guidance and practical advice. In addition, her Principal Investigator Sandro Banfi, a long-standing ARVO participant with many years of experience, played an important role in helping her make the most of the conference. This combination of peer and senior mentorship ensured a smooth and rewarding first ARVO experience.
In addition, she also presented her poster entitled “A long noncoding RNA atlas in Retinitis Pigmentosa” on May 7th (Poster no. 0526), marking an important milestone in her research journey. It might have been challenging to answer all the questions of the researchers passing by her poster, but it was also a really rewarding experience where she has the opportunity to communicate her research!
Principal Investigators
A particularly achievement was made by PI Sven Schnichels, whose poster was selected as a “Hot Topic”, highlighting the scientific relevance and impact of his work. In addition, he was invited to serve as a poster judge for the MIT posters session, a recognition of his expertise in the field. Further honouring his participation, Dr. Sven Schnichels received a book personally signed by Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry, Thomas Cech, making this year’s ARVO especially memorable for the RETORNA network.
What can we say about these three remarkable accomplishments in one event? I guess it couldn’t have gone better 😉
Dr. Zohreh Hosseinzadeh also played an active role in ARVO 2026. She participated in the ARVO 2026 kick off event organized by the University of Colorado Anschutz Department of Ophthalmology, where she had the chance to engage in person with leading researchers, including RETORNA associated partner Dr. Miguel Flores-Bellver who is at the moment hosting our DC10 Chiara for a secondment. The meeting was also destinated to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Lios Eye Institute – home of the Sue Anschutz – Rodgers Eye Center.
Moreover, Dr. Zohreh Hosseinzadeh contributed to ARVO 2026 as a member of the Diversity Initiatives Committee, which promotes inclusivity and equity within the vision research community. Her involvement reflects RETORNA’s strong commitment to fostering diversity, collaboration, and equal opportunities in research and training. You can read more about the Diversity Initiative Committee here.
Supporting the participation of the DCs in international conferences
- Engage with internationally renowned experts in vision science
- Explore new academic and industry collaborations
- Stay informed about the latest scientific and technological developments
- Increase the international visibility of the RETORNA project
While this 2026 marks the third consecutive year in which RETORNA Doctoral Candidates participate in this major international conference, it is especially rewarding to observe their growth over time. Our DCs continue to develop their professional skills, gaining confidence and steadily evolving into highly capable and independent researchers.