Twice a year, OMF invites an international and interdisciplinary working group of leading doctors and researchers to convene for a symposium. The aim of these meetings is to bring together key experts to address the urgent need to accelerate the development of effective treatments for patients with ocular melanoma.
The group’s goals are to identify research priorities and increase collaboration in order to improve patient outcomes.
Resources for Medical Professionals
Ocular Melanoma Scientific Working Group (OMSWG) Symposia
The convening of the first annual OMSWG Symposium in Boston, MA on October 12, 2009 was a tremendous success. The meeting was hosted in collaboration with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, and was organized by Sara Selig, M.D., the Vice-Chair of the OMF Board of Directors. Dr. F. Stephen Hodi, a melanoma specialist and researcher at Dana-Farber, chaired the one day Symposium that brought together over 40 of the world’s leading ocular melanoma researchers and clinicians to identify research priorities and increase collaboration in the field of ocular melanoma.
The meeting included collaborative technical scientific discussion amongst the researchers following thematically-grouped scientific presentations and was opened with an inspirational “Patient’s Perspective” given by a patient bravely fighting metastatic disease, giving unique meaning and perspective to the Symposium’s goals. In sum, fifteen experts spoke at the meeting which was attended by another two dozen leading lights in the field. An exciting outcome of the meeting was the establishment of the Ocular Melanoma Research Consortium which is outlined below. To view the Press Release from the symposium, click below.
The meeting included collaborative technical scientific discussion amongst the researchers following thematically-grouped scientific presentations and was opened with an inspirational “Patient’s Perspective” given by a patient bravely fighting metastatic disease, giving unique meaning and perspective to the Symposium’s goals. In sum, fifteen experts spoke at the meeting which was attended by another two dozen leading lights in the field. An exciting outcome of the meeting was the establishment of the Ocular Melanoma Research Consortium which is outlined below. To view the Press Release from the symposium, click below.
Ocular Melanoma Research Consortium (OMRC)
The OMRC is comprised of five major working groups that were formed at the October 2009 OMSWG. The international and interdisciplinary working groups focus on issues ranging from tissue banking and OM-specific clinical trials to technology tools to help doctors better communicate. These include:
1. Tissue Banking
Chairs:
Dr. Jacobus Bosch, Dept. of Hematology-Oncology at the University Hospital Erlangen
Dr. Bita Esmaeli, Ophthalmology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
2. Pre-clinical
Chairs:
Dr. Elizabeth Grimm, Deputy Division Head of Research Affairs, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Dr. Martine Jager, Head, Laboratory of Ophthalmology at Leiden University, The Netherlands
3. Clinical Trials
Chairs:
Dr. Keith Flaherty, Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. William Harbour, Ocular Oncology, Washington University
Dr. Takami Sato, Medical Oncology, Thoms Jefferson University
4. Immunology
Chairs:
Dr. F. Stephen Hodi, Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dr. Bruce Ksander, Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute
5. Technology
Chairs:
Dr. Anand Mahadevan, Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital
Mr. Grant Allen, Board Chairman, Ocular Melanoma Foundation/VP, Core Capital
1. Tissue Banking
Chairs:
Dr. Jacobus Bosch, Dept. of Hematology-Oncology at the University Hospital Erlangen
Dr. Bita Esmaeli, Ophthalmology, MD Anderson Cancer Center
2. Pre-clinical
Chairs:
Dr. Elizabeth Grimm, Deputy Division Head of Research Affairs, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Dr. Martine Jager, Head, Laboratory of Ophthalmology at Leiden University, The Netherlands
3. Clinical Trials
Chairs:
Dr. Keith Flaherty, Medical Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. William Harbour, Ocular Oncology, Washington University
Dr. Takami Sato, Medical Oncology, Thoms Jefferson University
4. Immunology
Chairs:
Dr. F. Stephen Hodi, Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dr. Bruce Ksander, Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute
5. Technology
Chairs:
Dr. Anand Mahadevan, Radiation Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital
Mr. Grant Allen, Board Chairman, Ocular Melanoma Foundation/VP, Core Capital
Scientific Advisory Board
OMF is in the process of assembling a panel of leading experts in the field of ocular melanoma to act as a Scientific Advisory Board-- to help guide the organization and help the organization support researchers, clinicians, and patients as effectively as possible.
If you are a physician or researcher and would like more information about how to get involved with the Ocular Melanoma Research Consortium, please contact us at becky@ocumel.org.