Victory over Blindness: knowledge for the benefit of disabled veterans and wider humanity
Losing your sight is devastating. It
is both physically and mentally challenging and leads to a plethora of difficulties
at different stages of life, and it often co-exists with other challenges and
disabilities. As the Chief Scientific Officer at Blind Veterans UK, Professor Renata Gomes works with
these issues with the aim of using research to find solutions to improve the
lives of thousands of veterans, all visually impaired. Blind Veterans UK performs research on factors
to enable beneficiaries to maintain and improve the quality of their health and
well-being, and their level of social inclusion and satisfaction with life. They also accelerate innovation by stimulating the rapid development of technologies
based on evidence and research.
This detailed research of Blind
Veterans’ state of health has created a large knowledge base which allows for a
personalised and holistic approach, whilst gathering valuable longitudinal
data. With an international approach to all that they study, their research cohort
includes both UK Blind Veterans and the Blinded Veterans of America.
Can we
predict sight loss? Can we prevent avoidable sight loss? What is, how and why
the association with dementia, brain injury, cognitive decline, circadian
cycles, epigenetic profiles? Although focussed on blind veterans, the research
has relevance and applicability beyond this population, with implications for
both wider veterans, disabled and visually impaired communities throughout the
world.
In this lecture, Professor Gomes will focus on
the translation and acceleration of Blind Veterans UK research for the benefit of humanity.
About the Speaker
Professor Renata Gomes is the Chief Scientific
Officer at Blind Veterans UK. She is a medical and forensic specialist, and has
sub-specialised in regenerative medicine. She has a degree (Hons) in Forensic
Medicine, and a MRes in Cardiovascular Medicine and Biology from University College
London, as well as an international PhD in Regenerative Medicine and
Biochemistry with the University of Oxford (UK), University of Coimbra
(Portugal) and the University of Eastern Finland (Finland). Her PhD was
followed by a series of research posts in the UK and Internationally. She is
completing an executive MSc in Health Economics, Outcomes and Management at the
London School of Economics and Political Science, in addition to Business and
Disruptive Strategy at Harvard Business School.
Professor Gomes has over 14 years’
experience of international multidisciplinary research, clinical trials, and
innovation. Her non-executive experience includes conducting peer reviews,
providing expert witness testimony, and act as a government advisor on science,
technology and veteran affairs.
Professor Gomes is an experienced
humanitarian crisis and rescue operative with active duty in Africa and the
Middle East.
View Professor Gomes' profile
To register for this free online session, please fill in the form below. Please note that you will need Google Chrome for this session.
