October 9, 2025
11:30- 1:00 p.m.
Moran Eye Center Auditorium
65 Mario Capecchi Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132

“Diagnosing albinism: Defining the role of genetics.”

The 2025-26 ARCS Utah Program continues with a research update by Erica Woertz, M.D., PhD, 2022-2023 ARCS Scholar.  Erica earned her medical degree and doctorate through the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). Her dissertation on the visual system in human albinism —completed under Joseph Carroll, PhD, through the Dennis P. Han, MD Advanced Ocular Imaging Program—earned a top MCW prize. She has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and contributed to work presented at prestigious vision and neuroscience conferences. Her extensive training included a visiting student research rotation at Moran under the mentorship of Paul S. Bernstein, MD, PhD. During this rotation, she continued to study human albinism, using fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO), an advanced imaging technique designed to characterize pigments in the retina. During her residency training, she has furthered her research into the connection between retinal pigment, retinal cellular structure, visual acuity, and genetic variability in human albinism. 

We will meet in the Moran Eye Center Auditorium at 11:30 a.m. with time to network before the program at noon.  Lunch will be served.  Free parking is available under the building.