Gregory Hageman, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Iowa, will speak on “A New Era for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Insights Pertaining to a Key Role for the Immune System,” as part of The Allergan Foundation Lecture Series in Modern Biology. This lecture is sponsored by the UC Irvine School of Biological Sciences.

Age-related macular degeneration afflicts an estimated 25 percent of people older than 75 and is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. This disorder is characterized by a progressive loss of central vision. It affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows people to see fine detail.

Recent discoveries have provided a clearer picture of the physical changes, genetic factors and biochemical processes associated with early age-related macular degeneration. Gregory Hageman will talk about these discoveries and how they could lead to new diagnostic tools and therapies to improve the quality of life for people with the disorder.

Hageman directs the Cell Biology and Functional Genomics Laboratory at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. He graduated from the University of Southern California, where he conducted undergraduate and graduate studies in biology and marine biology. Hageman is active in various professional and honorary organizations including the Macula Society, and he is an author or co-author of approximately 100 refereed and invited publications, as well as multiple issued patents and pending patent applications.