First Visiting Professor of CRC1607

As part of the Collaborative Research Center launched at the beginning of this month, we were very pleased to welcome Prof. Donald Hood as Visiting Professor in Cologne.

Donald Hood is a Professor of Psychology and Professor of Ophthalmic Science (in Ophthalmology) running the Hood Lab at the prestigious Columbia University in New York. He has been a member of the Columbia faculty since 1969, published more than 300 papers, won several prestigious awards and is the „father“ of ganglion cell macula diagnostics and early detection in glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindess affecting 1 million in Germany with 25 % even in the Western world going blind in both eyes in the course of the disease. Unreported cases are around 50-80% partially due to late diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis is therefore a big unmet need to prevent further blindness. In recent decades, he has made a decisive contribution to the faster and clearer detection of glaucoma to combat blindness. Donald Hood gave a well- attended lecture on the 17th of April on this topic. Afterwards the certificate of Visiting Professor was handed over. Future collaboration within the CRC is planned and ongoing.