Collaboration connects us in the retina community. We are interconnected in a variety of ways through education, clinical care, and research. In this issue of Retinal Physician, we highlight several important collaborations within the field of retina.
One of the most impactful partnerships is represented by the DRCR Retina Network, which began more than 2 decades ago. Drs. Noam Rudnick, Kevin Blinder, Scott Friedman, and Christina Weng provide a summary of the history of the DRCR Retina Network, and they highlight several pivotal clinical research studies, such as Protocol I, which revolutionized the management of diabetic macular edema. In addition, the authors discuss exciting clinical trials that are currently evaluating the utility of home OCT–guided treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (Protocol AO) and investigating treatments for radiation retinopathy (Protocol AL). The DRCR Retina Network is truly an amazing, collaborative research juggernaut that unites retina specialists, research coordinators, statisticians, and diverse investigators to answer important clinical questions that impact our patients.
Our extensive partnerships in the field of retina play a vital role in advancing research in artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. Nayoon Gim and Dr. Aaron Lee write about AI-READI, a multimodal data set for diabetic eye research. This NIH-funded project aims to redefine how AI can support ophthalmic research in type 2 diabetes. The project will recruit 4,000 participants from 3 sites: the University of Washington, the University of Alabama, and the University of California, San Diego. Data will be standardized and collected over a 5-year period. The collected data will represent an exciting collaboration between clinicians, patients, and researchers.
I also would like to highlight the Early Career Perspectives in Retina column written by Dr. Mrinali Gupta. This new feature aims to address common career development questions. Dr. Gupta shares helpful strategies for navigating early career challenges.
Working together to share knowledge and insights brings the retina community closer. It is wonderful to witness the many connections that bring us together. Thank you for taking the time to read Retinal Physician—we appreciate your partnership. RP
