From Science to Sight: Foundation Fighting Blindness Accelerating Hope and Advancing Retinal Disease Breakthroughs with Dr. Amy Laster (Episode #150)

Dr. Lynn Hellerstein of Vision Beyond Sight sits down with Dr. Amy Laster, neuroscientist and Chief Scientific Officer at the Foundation Fighting Blindness that advances cures for retinal diseases, to talk about bridging cutting-edge science with human connection and leading the Foundation Fighting Blindness to accelerate research for rare eye diseases. As a neuroscientist-turned-nonprofit leader, she shares how translating complex science into human impact is advancing treatments – while keeping patients, families, and possibility at the heart of every breakthrough.

Dr. Laster shares her journey from neuroscience into nonprofit leadership, revealing how her “superpower” of big-picture strategic thinking helps drive research forward more efficiently. Together, they unpack what retinal diseases are, the scope of their impact—from rare inherited conditions to age-related macular degeneration—and the innovative therapies offering new hope.

From gene augmentation treatments like Luxturna to emerging clinical trials in retinal cell transplantation, this conversation bridges complex science with real-world impact. You’ll also hear powerful patient stories, including Rebecca Alexander’s experience with Usher syndrome and Lindsey Rambo’s groundbreaking role in early gene therapy trials.

Beyond the lab, Dr. Laster highlights the importance of community, family support, and ensuring patients remain at the heart of every scientific advance. She also discusses the Foundation’s ambitious 5-year strategic plan and the evolving ways they measure success—including new technologies like virtual reality testing and using focal points of light.

This episode is a compelling look at how innovation, empathy, and purpose are shaping the future of vision science—and why no one facing vision loss has to navigate it alone.

🔊 Click here and tune in to the show now to explore these insights:

• What drew Dr. Laster from neuroscience into nonprofit?
• Dr. Laster’s superpower of strategic thinking
• Foundation Fighting Blindness and its mission to accelerate research for rare eye diseases
• What is a retinal disease?
• Dry, age-related macular degeneration
• Limited vision issues: tunnel vision, donut vision, night blindness, etc.
• Gene augmentation therapy for the eye (Luxturna)
• Drug research on slowing down cell degeneration
• Clinical trials on retinal transplant – replacing dying cells with healthy cells
• Support for families of those who received retinal disease diagnosis
• The story of Rebecca Alexander with Usher syndrome
• The foundation’s 5-year strategic plan
• New measures of effectiveness for clinical research therapies
• Using virtual reality goggles and focal points of light to test visual improvement
• Mission and passion for health and wholeness
• Story of Lindsey Rambo with LCA – first participant for gene therapy
• How to connect with Foundation Fighting Blindness

About Dr. Amy Laster:

Dr. Amy Laster is the chief scientific officer at the Foundation Fighting Blindness, the driving force in the global development of treatments and cures for retinal degenerative diseases. With over $954 million raised to date, the Foundation supports more than 100 research projects worldwide under Dr. Laster’s leadership.

A neuroscientist by training, Dr. Laster’s path to the Foundation was shaped by a pivotal realization in graduate school: science becomes most powerful when it connects directly with the people it serves. Her early research, partially funded by a nonprofit, gave her the first opportunity to engage with families and communities affected by rare diseases – an experience that fundamentally shifted her perspective from simply supporting science to demonstrating its real-world impact.

Today, Dr. Laster directs the Foundation’s scientific strategy, collaborating with the Scientific Advisory Board, Board of Directors, academic institutions, biotech and pharmaceutical companies, venture funding entities, government agencies, and key research donors. She balances the technical demands of overseeing preclinical and early translational research programs with what she calls “being human and being a scientist” – meeting people where they are and helping them understand what’s possible.

A self-described “boy mom” and F1 enthusiast who dreams of being a driver in her next life, Dr. Laster brings the same big-picture thinking and attention to nuance from her family life into her leadership. She serves on the executive committee of the Health Research Alliance Board of Directors and the ClinGen Retina Ocular Clinical Domain Working Group, driven by her dedication to advancing precision medicine and finding cures for blinding retinal diseases.

Connect with Dr. Amy Laster and Foundation Fighting Blindness:

Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram

To explore current research initiatives and clinical trials supported by the Foundation, visit the Foundation Fighting Blindness Research Hub: https://www.fightingblindness.org/research-curing-blindness 

For patient and family resources, including educational materials, community connections, and guidance for navigating vision loss, visit the Foundation Fighting Blindness Resource Center: https://www.fightingblindness.org/search?category=resources

To learn more about the Foundation’s five-year strategic plan, including the opportunities and programs on the horizon, visit the Foundation Fighting Blindness 2024–2029 Science Strategic Plan: https://www.fightingblindness.org/science-strategic-plan

“The Foundation Fighting Blindness, we were founded in 1971 by families who refused to accept that blindness had no solution. This was at a time when there was little known about these retinal diseases and no clinical trials existed. These families set out to drive science forward. Today, our mission is the same: to accelerate research towards preventions, treatments and cures for blinding retinal diseases.” Dr. Amy Laster

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