UPCOMING EVENT
Topic: Genetics of Glaucoma Evaluation in the Amish
Speakers: Jessica Cooke Bailey, Ph.D., Jonathan M. Skarie, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
When: Friday, December 2, 2022, 12 PM to 1 PM Eastern Time
Where: Via Zoom or teleconference
Description: Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness throughout the world. To better understand glaucoma and inform new treatment strategies, we study the genetics of people with glaucoma. We think that, by studying glaucoma risk in the Amish, we can uncover genes and pathways that influence this disease. With the Genetics of Glaucoma Evaluation in the Amish pilot study (GGLEAM), we study glaucoma in an Amish population concentrated in Holmes County, Ohio. Our recruitment is participant-facing: we visit homes and advertise in newspapers that are commonly read among Amish communities. Upon informed consent, participation in GGLEAM includes undergoing detailed medical, environmental, and lifestyle history questionnaires, a blood draw, and an eye exam. We organize for participants to travel to Mansfield to receive a comprehensive eye examination by our Ophthalmologist collaborator. We extract DNA from blood samples for genome-wide genetics analysis wherein we apply techniques that are specifically useful for large family studies. We send study updates via newsletters to participants. We recognize the importance of engagement with the Amish community. By understanding glaucoma risk in the Amish, we can learn more about the complex risk for this disease and apply this knowledge to better inform prevention and treatment strategies.
Register: Registration is required to attend; click here to register. You will receive an email with options to call in via telephone or use the web. If you do not have web access to register, contact Andrea Waksmunski (axw360@case.edu) for a call-in number.
Suggested Reading:
Waksmunski AR, Song YE, Kinzy TG, Laux RA, Sewell J, Fuzzell D, Fuzzell S, Miller S, Wiggs JL, Pasquale LR, Skarie JM, Haines JL, Cooke Bailey JN. (2021). The GGLEAM Study: Understanding Glaucoma in the Ohio Amish. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18(4):1551. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041551. PMID: 33561996.