Tara Moore

Chief of Research and Innovation, Avellino USA; Professor of Personalised Medicine at Ulster University, Northern Ireland, UK

Why did you decide to pursue ophthalmology/your subspecialty?

I met Professor Tony Adamis at ARVO in Fort Lauderdale when I was 22 years old, he invited me to work in his laboratory in Boston in MEEI and I have never looked back and remained in ophthalmology research since then.

What’s been the biggest breakthrough in ophthalmology/your specific field over the last 10 years? 

CRISPR, a genetic tool taken from bacteria, has empowered scientists in a way we never envisaged would be possible, enabling them to manipulate genes with profound accuracy and ease and potentially eliminating disease in an undreamt of way. The future of gene therapy for eye diseases will be a fascinating story to follow – I really hope my research team can be part of that story.

Do you have any personal missions for the next 10 years?

Over the coming years my personal mission and the mission of Avellino USA is to see a treatment for corneal dystrophy reach patients and the many families who currently have no available treatment to stop the disease taking their vision and the vision of their children.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

My late father, who passed away over 25 years ago – before I had chosen a career or had a family, my mum, and my seven children. I can only imagine my dad’s reaction to an evening with us all!