Public Lecture: Professor Renata Gomes, 'Victory over Blindness'

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

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