Welcome
Speaker: Lars-Olof Hattenbach (Ludwigshafen)

Laudation and Presentation of the Albrecht von Graefe Medal
Speaker: Frank G. Holz (Bonn)

Macular telangiectasis type 2 – a fruitful adventure

Speaker: Alan C. Bird (London, UK)

 

The Albrecht-von-Graefe-Medaille is awarded every ten years to an individual who—regardless of nationality—has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of ophthalmology. At this year’s congress, the medal will be presented to Alan Bird, who will also deliver the von Graefe Memorial Lecture.
Alan Bird began his training in ophthalmology at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London in 1962. Initially interested in neuro-ophthalmology, he spent a year as Senior House Officer in neurosurgery before joining Moorfields Eye Hospital in 1965. From 1968 to 1969 he completed a fellowship at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, where he worked closely with Donald Gass, who had a lasting influence on his career. After returning to Moorfields in 1969, he developed his unit into one of the world’s leading centers for medical retina. In 1976 he was appointed Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, and after his retirement in 2006 he continued to work as an Honorary Consultant at Moorfields.
Alan Bird’s research has focused primarily on age-related macular degeneration and inherited retinal diseases. Together with colleagues he investigated age-related changes in Bruch’s membrane and was among the first to recognize tears of the retinal pigment epithelium. His group described numerous genotype–phenotype correlations and identified previously unknown gene mutations in retinal diseases. In collaboration with colleagues including Frank Holz and Alan Fitzke, he also contributed to the introduction of fundus autofluorescence as an important diagnostic tool in retinal disorders. More recently, he has published work on macular telangiectasia.
Beyond his retinal research, Bird also worked on ocular manifestations of sickle cell disease in Jamaica and onchocerciasis in Africa. His scientific output includes more than 450 publications in peer-reviewed journals and over 80 book chapters. He has served on the editorial board of Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science and several other journals and has been involved in numerous international scientific committees and advisory boards.
Alan Bird has delivered more than 60 named lectures worldwide, including the Duke-Elder Lecture, the Doyne Lecture, the Jackson Memorial Lecture, the Donders Lecture, the Bowman Lecture, and the Jules François Lecture. He is an Honorary Fellow of several international professional societies and has received numerous awards for his scientific and educational contributions, including the 2003 ICO Golden Apple Award for teaching.
A gifted speaker and inspiring teacher, Alan Bird has trained and influenced generations of ophthalmologists from around the world. The von Graefe Memorial Lecture offers a unique opportunity to recognize the remarkable scientific achievements and lasting impact of one of the most influential figures in modern retinal research.

Bitte wenden Sie sich für weitere Informationen an den Organisator.

 

Zertifizierung beantragt für CME Punkte bei der Ärztekammer Berlin
Die DOG 2026 ist von der Landesärztekammer Berlin mit 6 CME-Punkten pro Kongresstag bzw. 3 CME-Punkte für den Kongress-Sonntag zertifiziert worden. Kurse wurden nicht separat zertifiziert.