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Bay Area Catalyst Update
November 10, 2005 - A San Francisco sunset from the Board Room on the 51st floor of the Bank of America Tower greeted guests for Glaucoma Research Foundation’s second Catalyst update, hosted by Catalyst Circle members Kenneth Olivier and Angela Nomellini.
On hand as the featured speaker, David Calkins PhD, Vanderbilt University, met and spoke one-on-one with Catalyst Circle guests during a reception of hors d’oeuvres and beverages. The more formal program was introduced by GRF Board member Deirdre Porter. The pioneering efforts of the GRF founders were applauded: those that led to historic breakthroughs in glaucoma research and set the stage to launch the Catalyst For a Cure (CFC) research collaboration. Ms. Porter also welcomed volunteers of GRF’s newly formed Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Glaucoma Awareness Initiative as well as members of the GRF Board, current and past.
Thomas M. Brunner, GRF President and CEO, took the stage to elaborate on the progress of the CFC campaign, announcing that 62% of the $7.5 million target had been reached. He discussed the ways large and small, traditional and unique, by which the donors to GRF have made funds possible. Mr. Brunner talked about the Catalyst Circle, whose members share the vision of the CFC and support the research by gifts of $1,000 or more. He thanked members Mary Helen and James Pidgeon, Nora Cooks, Frank Stein and Paul May. Mr. Brunner then formally introduced Dr. Calkins.
The topic of the evening, “Speeding the Cure,” summarized the rapid progress of the CFC consortium to date. Guests viewed initial results of the research, and Dr. Calkins discussed the consortium’s three new working hypotheses for how glaucoma is initiated and where new therapeutic targets may be found. The question and answer period following Dr. Calkins’ presentation demonstrated the keen interest of GRF’s donors, supporters and guests to understand the science of the CFC research.