Uveitis Luminaries Podcast

UVEA Taskforce

Hosted by Dr. John Gonzales and Dr. Nisha Acharya of the Francis I. Proctor Foundation at UCSF, the Uveitis Luminaries Podcast highlights the careers, discoveries, and experiences of leaders in ocular inflammatory disease. Each episode offers insights into the history, science, and future of uveitis care through conversations with clinicians, scientists, educators, and pioneers who have shaped the field.

Episodes

  1. Jul 20

    Uveitis Luminaries Podcast Ep. 2 | Nisha R. Acharya, MD | FAST & ADJUST Trials, Steroid-Sparing

    Hosted by Dr. John Gonzales and Dr. Jessica Shantha, the Uveitis Luminaries Podcast highlights the careers, discoveries, and experiences of leaders in ocular inflammatory disease. Each episode offers insights into the history, science, and future of uveitis care through conversations with clinicians, scientists, educators, and pioneers who have shaped the field. In this episode, Dr. Nisha R. Acharya reflects on the path that led her from a serious childhood in classical violin to a career in clinical research and patient care. She discusses the origins and near-collapse of the FAST trial, which compared methotrexate and mycophenolate mofetil as first-line antimetabolite therapy for non-infectious uveitis; the findings of the ADJUST trial on discontinuing adalimumab in children with JIA-associated uveitis; what she looks for in trainees drawn to the clinician-scientist path; and the patients who have shaped how she practices. Topics discussed in this episode include uveitis, ocular inflammation, non-infectious uveitis, corticosteroid-sparing therapy, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil, adalimumab, juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis, randomized clinical trial design, global ophthalmology, mentorship, and medical education. Dr. Nisha R. Acharya is the Elizabeth C. Proctor Distinguished Professor; Professor of Ophthalmology and of Epidemiology & Biostatistics at UCSF; and Director of the Uveitis and Ocular Inflammatory Disease Service at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation. Dr. John Gonzales is Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology and Director of the Uveitis Fellowship Program at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation, UCSF. Dr. Jessica Shantha is a former Proctor Foundation faculty member, now at the Emory Eye Center, Emory University. Chapters00:00 Introduction02:23 A serious violinist: the decision not to go professional07:51 What music and medicine share10:37 Growing up around science; the microscope12:46 Stanford, women's health, and finding a direction14:25 UCSF, Emmett Cunningham, and the path into ophthalmology16:35 Aravind Eye Hospital and ocular leprosy as a medical student19:21 Internship at the Brigham — and nearly leaving ophthalmology22:03 What fellows teach their mentors24:37 Why clinic still matters27:16 The patient who changed how she practices30:12 Staying motivated when treatment fails33:33 Lifelong relationships with uveitis patients34:50 The FAST trial: the letter that almost ended it37:36 Spotting a future clinician-scientist43:03 What has changed at Proctor45:42 Advice for the next generation48:02 Closing

    Uveitis Luminaries Podcast Ep. 2 | Nisha R. Acharya, MD | FAST & ADJUST Trials, Steroid-Sparing

  2. Jun 17

    Uveitis Luminaries Podcast EP1 | Gary N. Holland, MD | CMV Retinitis, AIDS & Ocular Toxoplasmosis

    Hosted by Dr. John Gonzales and Dr. Nisha Acharya of the Francis I. Proctor Foundation at UCSF, the Uveitis Luminaries Podcast highlights the careers, discoveries, and experiences of leaders in ocular inflammatory disease. Each episode offers insights into the history, science, and future of uveitis care through conversations with clinicians, scientists, educators, and pioneers who have shaped the field. Topics discussed in this episode include uveitis, ocular inflammation, ophthalmology, CMV retinitis, HIV/AIDS-related eye disease, ocular toxoplasmosis, vision research, medical education, and the history of ocular infectious disease. The podcast features Gary N. Holland, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology at UCLA and former Proctor Foundation fellow.

    Uveitis Luminaries Podcast EP1 | Gary N. Holland, MD | CMV Retinitis, AIDS & Ocular Toxoplasmosis
  • 2 Episodes

About

Hosted by Dr. John Gonzales and Dr. Nisha Acharya of the Francis I. Proctor Foundation at UCSF, the Uveitis Luminaries Podcast highlights the careers, discoveries, and experiences of leaders in ocular inflammatory disease. Each episode offers insights into the history, science, and future of uveitis care through conversations with clinicians, scientists, educators, and pioneers who have shaped the field.

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