Group Photo - Leicester 2026

UK-EGG Annual Meeting 2026

Monday 22 June 2026 | University of Leicester

The 2026 UK-EGG annual meeting brought together 90 delegates from around the world in Leicester on 22 June during a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures rivalled only by the hot science on the agenda. Professor Mervyn Thomas, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Leicester, Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Clinical Lead of the Ulverscroft Eye Unit, warmly welcomed us to the university’s Sir Bob Burgess Building.

The day began with distinguished speakers sharing insights into the emerging spectrum of ocular genetic disease. Gail Maconachie discussed refinements to diagnostic pathways for infantile nystagmus (Picture 1), while Siyin Liu delivered a tour de force on the genetic mechanisms and clinical consequences of Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy.

Picture 1: Gail Maconachie

Next, it was time for the early-career researchers (ECRs) to wow us with their impressive science. Selected through a highly competitive abstract submission process, the presentations included a wide range of high-quality posters and five ECR talks, which took us on a journey from basic research to translational work. Fay Newton presented findings showing that mitochondrial stress and disrupted autophagy precede photoreceptor death in multiple mouse models of inherited retinal disease (IRD). Mark Hughes described the clinical features of the three most prevalent variants associated with RHO-related autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa in a large UK cohort. Chloe Brotherton shared her work on a murine model of RPGR-related disease, in which she observed disruption in cone synapses. Sara Romero-Vázquez updated us on advances towards an mRNA therapy for RLBP1-associated retinopathy, and Nicky Cronbach discussed reinventing gene panels to solve familial cases of developmental glaucoma.

Professor Carlo Rivolta captivated the audience with his keynote lecture, “Molecular genetics of inherited retinal diseases: past, present and future” (Picture 2). His comprehensive overview traced the field’s development and offered hope for the future.

Picture 2: Professor Carlo Rivolta

The post-lunch slump was soon banished by Julian Barwell and Maria Echevarria, whose lively session on genetic counselling, incidental findings and ethical dilemmas encouraged audience participation. This set the stage for a thought-provoking discussion. We were privileged to hear from Ramadan Younes, who shared his personal experience of unproven treatments and his investigations into these practices (Picture 3). Mariya Moosajee then explored patient-reported exposure to and uptake of bogus ophthalmic treatments.

Picture 3: Ramadan Younes

The final session offered inspiring talks on clinical cases and disease modelling. Bridget Moran shared insights into Stickler syndrome from an Irish cohort, highlighting the need for a dedicated care pathway. Jayashree Sahni presented preliminary findings on a gene therapy for Usher syndrome type 1, and Cécile Méjécase revealed insights into IRDs gained from retinal organoids.

It was also great to see the end-of-project presentation from the 2025 UK-EGG Seedcorn Award winner, Danyun Zhao, whose project focused on a CRISPR activation approach to prevent Stargardt disease progression.

We also announced the 2026 Seedcorn Award winner, Francesca McEwan, who gave us a whirlwind tour of her project investigating the mechanisms underlying autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa associated with novel SAG variants. We look forward to seeing the exciting research to come!

Our two new co-directors of seminars, Alessia Amato and Chloe Brotherton, had introduced themselves to the UK-EGG community and revealed UK-EGG webinars are coming back (Picture 4). Stay tuned, the date will be announced soon!

Picture 4: Alessia Amato and Chloe Brotherton, UK-EGG co-director of seminars, and Professor Mariya Moosajee

The day concluded with awards for Mark Hughes for the best ECR talk, with Nicky Cronbach as runner-up, and Mohammah Hammah Syed for the best poster, with Mahmoud Fassad as runner-up. Congratulations

UK-EGG thanks all delegates, sponsors and speakers for contributing to a successful 2026 meeting and extends its warm appreciation to Mervyn Thomas and his team for organising and hosting the event.

More pictures of UK-EGG annual meeting 2026: https://photos.app.goo.gl/aXFiAWUUGGsd367e7

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UK-EGG Leicester 2026