Chronic ocular GVHD (oGVHD) has been recognized as an important complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and is the leading cause of long-term morbidity and mortality following allogeneic HSCT. Signs and symptoms of oGVHD mimic other immunologically mediated dry eye disease (DED) subtypes, and it severely impacts quality of life. No specific treatments exist. A key barrier to progress in the field is the silo approach used to manage organ systems affected by GVHD. Ophthalmologists manage ocular GVHD and hematologist/oncologist manage systemic GVHD with little, if any, crosstalk or awareness of research and clinical advances between these disciplines. By bringing together clinicians and scientists from different disciplines, including nationally recognized experts, the Chicago chronic GVHD meeting will lower this barrier and promote opportunities for interdisciplinary research and education. We conducted the first Chicago Chronic GVHD Meeting on October 24, 2015 at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine (COM) learning center. We propose to model future meetings (2016- 2020) on the successful format of the 2015 meeting. The overall objective of the Chicago Chronic GVHD Meeting grant request is to provide support for aspects of the annual meeting for the next 5-year period for achieving three aims. To stimulate clinical and translational interdisciplinary collaborations and new lines of research, the meeting will bring together nationally recognized experts (hematologist/oncologists and ophthalmologists) for disseminating new findings in the area of chronic systemic and ocular GVHD (Aim 1). To stimulate inter-institutional and interdisciplinary opportunities in research, clinical practice and education, the meeting will bring together five bone marrow transplant programs and six ophthalmology departments in the Chicago area to discuss differences in their approach to HSCT and chronic GVHD management and impediments/opportunities in clinical and research collaborations (Aim 2). To increase collaboration amongst junior and senior scientists in the fields of hematology/oncology and ophthalmology, 20 travel awards will be made to increase the participation of clinicians who are pursuing research career development and early stage basic science researchers in the areas of ocular surface disease and GVHD (Aim 3). Preference will be given to women, racial/ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The Chicago Chronic GVHD meeting has been planned in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) under the sponsorship of University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). The scope and format of the meeting is unique and very different from the small instruction courses or consensus meetings on chronic ocular GVHD held in the past 3 years.
We propose an annual meeting in order to stimulate interdisciplinary collaborations and breakthroughs in the area chronic systemic GVHD and ocular GVHD. This meeting will bring together nationally recognized experts to for disseminating new findings in the area of chronic GVHD and for discussions regarding the clinical and research challenges and opportunities. The meeting will also bring together five bone marrow transplant programs and six ophthalmology departments in the Chicago area stimulate inter-institutional and interdisciplinary opportunities in research, clinical practice and education. Travel awards to junior clinician scientists and early stage researchers will allow them to participate in the meeting and enhance their career development.
