The mission of the International Symposium on Regenerative Corneal Medicine is to present and highlight recent discoveries and technological advances in regenerative medicine and translational research for the treatment of corneal diseases.
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You are invited to participate in the 1st International Symposium on Regenerative Corneal Medicine, which will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2025, in Montreal.
This unique symposium will focus on the growing role of regenerative medicine in corneal surface rehabilitation. An exciting program will be led by renowned international experts who will share their experience and explain how these innovative approaches can benefit patients safely and effectively.
Various surgical techniques currently available for treating limbal stem cell deficiency and neurotrophic keratopathy will be discussed in a concrete and practical manner. There will be ample opportunity for exchange and discussion.
Specific Objectives
- Gain a better understanding of how the regenerative medicine of tomorrow has already reached our clinics
- Better understand how our patients can benefit from this new knowledge in a safe and proactive manner.
- Better understand the many stages of translational research and the role that ophthalmologists can play at their level
This symposium is the result of a joint effort by the Université de Montreal, the Vision Sciences Research Network (VSRN), and the Société française d’ophtalmologie (SFO). The SFO is the largest international French-speaking ophthalmology society in the world, with more than 6,500 members from France and 17 other countries.
Welcome to everyone!
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1st International Symposium on Corneal Regenerative Medicine
DATE
VENUE
MODE
October 16, 2025
University of Montreal, QC, CANADA
Hybrid
Full address: University of Montreal, Roger-Gaudry Pavilion, M-415, 2900 Edouard-Montpetit Blvd, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3T 0A3
Scientific Content in Brief
- Ocular surface transplantation reconstructed using tissue engineering from autologous stem cells, corneal neurotization, and biosynthetic substitutes for the human cornea will be discussed.
- Leading experts Graziella Pellegrini, Italy, and Lucie Germain, Quebec, will discuss the past, present, and future of corneal stem cell transplantation in Europe and Canada. Francisco Figueiredo, United Kingdom, and our ophthalmologists from Toronto and Quebec will report on the results of European and Canadian clinical studies.
- Ilya Leyngold, Idaho, United States, a pioneer in minimally invasive surgical corneal neurotization, Nacim Bouheraoua, Paris, and Asim Ali, Toronto, author of the first and largest series of cases in children, will present the advances they have contributed to, as well as future developments in this technique. The topic will be introduced by Bernard Duchesne, Belgium, and Marc Labetoulle, France, who will contribute additional insights.
- May Griffith, an internationally renowned researcher, will present her pioneering work on biosynthetic corneal substitutes.
- A joint session with the Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency International Working group chaired by Sophie Deng, UCLA, California, President of ARVO 2025-2026, is also planned.
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Scientific Programmation
Download the PROGRAM (schedule)
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Registration Fees & Deadlines
Clinicians, Clinical Scientists, Researchers:
Regular registration (ON-SITE – until OCTOBER 9, 2025):
Regular registration (VITUAL MODE – until OCTOBER 14, 2025):
$150
$150
Students, Fellows, Professionals:
Regular registration (ON-SITE – until OCTOBER 9, 2025):
Regular registration (VITUAL MODE – until OCTOBER 14, 2025):
$50
$50
Click below to register
CONFERENCE AVAILABLE ONLINE: For those unable to attend this symposium in person, you will be able to follow the presentations and discussions via a live webcast. If you choose this participation format, register now. You will receive the link a few days before the event, once your registration fee has been paid.
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Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
A certificate of attendance will be issued to participants.
Asim ALI, B.A. Sc, MD, FRCS(C)
Professor of Ophthalmology
University of Toronto
Ophthalmologist-in-Chief
Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, CANADA
Title: Corneal Neurotization in Children
Sayan BASU, MBBS, MS
D. Balasubramanian Chair of Eye Research
Director of Prof. Brien Holden Eye Research Centre (BHERC) & Centre for Ocular Regeneration (CORE)
L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, INDIA
Title: COMET, SOMET & MSCs: The Indian Experience
Cristina BOSTAN, MD, MSc, FRCSC
Ophthalmologist, Associate Clinician, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre
Université de Montréal University Centre for Ophthalmology, CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Ile-de-Montréal
Clinical Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology
Université de Montréal , QC, CANADA
Title : Translational Research
Nacim BOUHERAOUA, MD, PhD
Professor of Ophthalmology
Sorbonne Université
CHNO des Quinze-Vingts, Paris, FRANCE
Title: Corneal Neurotization: The French Experience
Isabelle BRUNETTE, MD, MSc, FRCSC
Corneal ophthalmologist
Director, Corneal Transplantation Research Unit
Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Centre
Full Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Université de Montréal, QC, CANADA
Title : Cultivated Limbal Epithelial Transplantation: The Canadian Experience with CECA
Title : Corneal Neurotization: Pre- and Post-Operative Assessment (The Montreal Experience)
Clara CHAN, MD, FRCSC, FACS
Associate Professor
Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences
University of Toronto, ON, CANADA
Medical Director, The Eye Bank of Canada- Ontario Division
Title: Diagnosis, Classification and Medical Management of LSCD
Bernard DUCHESNE, MD, PhD
Ophthalmologist, Cornea specialist
University Hospital Center (CHU) of Liège
Head of the Eye Bank at the University Hospital of Liège, BELGIUM
Title: Neurotrophic Keratitis: Diagnosis, Classification, and Medical Management
Francisco FIGUEIREDO, MD, PhD, FRCOphth
Professor of Ophthalmology
Department of Ophthalmology
Royal Victoria Infirmary and Biosciences Institute
Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne, UNITED KINGDOM
Title: Cultivated Limbal Epithelial Transplantation: The UK Experience
May GRIFFITH, PhD
Professor, Department of Ophthalmology
Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center
Biomedical Engineering Institute
Université de Montréal, QC, CANADA
Canada Research Chair Tier 1 in Biomaterials and Stem Cells in Ophthalmology
Caroline Durand Foundation Research Chair in Cell Therapy
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
University of Ottawa, ON, CANADA
Title: Corneal Biosubstitutes & Ocular Surface: The Liquid Cornea (LiQD)
Samir JABBOUR MD, FRCSC
Clinical Ophthalmologist
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology
Université de Montréal, QC, CANADA
Clinical Assistant Professor, McGill University, Montreal, QC, CANADA
Title : Amnion-Assisted Conjunctival Epithelial Redirection (ACER)
Marc LABETOULLE, MD, PhD
Secretary General of the Société Française d’Ophtalmologie
Professor of Ophthalmology and Head of the Chair of Ophthalmology
Faculty of Medicine
Bicêtre Hospital-Paris-Saclay University and Quinze-Vingts National Vision Hospital
Paris, FRANCE
Titles: Reactivation of HSV1 in the cornea: is there a risk after corneal neurotisation? and The distant effects of gut microbiota on corneal nerves
Ilya M. LEYNGOLD, MD
Co-Medical Director and Founder
Leyngold Institute of Plastic Surgery, PLLC, Meridian, Idaho, USA
Associate Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery and Ophthalmology Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine
Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine
Department of Ophthalmology
Title: Corneal Neurotization: Surgical Techniques, New Developments, and Special Cases
François MAJO, MD, Dr. ès Sc.
FMH specialist in ophthalmology and ophthalmosurgery
Founder and Medical Director of the Centre Ophtalmologique de la Gare / Hirslanden Group, University of Lausanne, SWITZERLAND
Title : Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency in Aniridia, a Problem of Epithelium-Stroma Interaction
Graziella PELLEGRINI, PhD
Professor of Cell Biology
Department of Life Sciences
Head of the Cell Therapy Program, “Stefano Ferrari” Center for Regenerative Medicine
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, ITALY
Founder of Holostem Srl
European scientific expert for the treatment of limbic stem cell deficiency
Title: Limbal Epithelial Transplantation: The European Experience with Holoclar
Marie-Claude ROBERT, MD
Corneal Ophthalmologist
Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Centre hospitalier universitaire (CHU) Hôpital Sainte-Justine
Clinical Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine – Department of Ophthalmology, Université de Montréal, QC, CANADA
Title : LSCD in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
PANELISTS
Gregory BORSCHEL, MD
James Joseph Harbaught, Jr. Professor of Plastic Surgery
Professor of Surgery
Professor of Ophthalmology
School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Johanna Choremis, MD, FRCSC
Clinical Associate Professor
Corneologist and Head of the Cornea Division
Faculty of Medicine – Department of Ophthalmology
Université de Montréal, QC, CANADA
Assistant Professor
McGill University, Montreal, QC, CANADA
Éric Gabison, MD, PhD
University Professor – Hospital Practitioner (PUPH), University of Paris Cité, Paris, FRANCE
Head of Department, Department of Ophthalmology, Adolphe de Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris
Director of T-REX Lab (Translational Research and Corneal Experimental Surgery)
Founding member of the FedCor network (Federation of expert centers in corneal pathologies)
Lucie Germain, PhD
Research Fellow
Full Professor
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine
CHU de Québec Research Center
Université Laval, Québec City, QC, CANADA
Isabelle HARDY, MD
Ophthalmologist specializing in oculoplastics
Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital Research Center
Clinical Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology,
Université de Montréal, QC, CANADA
Allan R. SLOMOVIC, MSc, MD, FRCSC
Marta and Owen Boris Endowed Chair in Cornea and Stem Cell Research
Professor of Ophthalmology
Vice Chair of Education and Continuing Education Director
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science
University of Toronto, ON, CANADA
Clinical Director of Cornea Service, Don Johnson Eye Institute, UHN Professor, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, ISRAEL
Scientific Organizing Committee
Isabelle BRUNETTE, MD, FRCS(C) (Montreal, QC)
Isabelle HARDY, MD, FRCS(C), DABO (Montreal, QC), SFO International Advisor
Samir JABBOUR, MD, FRCS(C) (Montreal, QC)
Ian MacDONALD, MD, MSc, CM (Montreal, QC)
Marc LABETOUILLE, MD, PhD (Paris, FRANCE), SFO General Secretary
Bernard DUCHESNE, MD, PhD (Liège, BELGIUM), SFO International Advisor
Alexandra RADERMECKER, MD (Liège, BELGIUM), Fellow in cornea
Logistics Organizing Committee
Annie BLAIS, BA
Valérie LAVASTRE, Ph. D.
Benjamin PELLACANI, BAA
For more information please contact:
Annie Blais annie.blais.3@umontreal.ca
This event is made possible through the support of the Université de Montréal, the Vision Sciences Research Network and the Société Française d’Ophtalmologie.
Poster available here
