Welcome

Our Center aims to provide better sight for people living with inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) such as retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, Leber congenital amaurosis, blue cone monochromacy, choroideremia and many others. Co-director Dr. Aleman provides clinical care to IRD patients who carry the burden of progressive vision loss that is currently not treatable. Co-directors Dr. Cideciyan and Dr. Aleman perform world-class research in clinical trials and in the laboratory to make progress towards treatments.

January, 2023: The founding director of CHRD passes away.

Samuel G. Jacobson, MD, PhD, a pioneer in retinal research and patient care, passed away at the age of 78.  In 1995, Dr. Jacobson founded and directed the Center for Hereditary Retinal Degenerations at Scheie Eye Institute, University of Pennsylvania. Prior to this, he served on the faculty of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami for 12 years where he established the Institute's first program for inherited retinal degenerations. In his 40+ year career, he distinguished himself as a caring and compassionate physician, and world-class scientist. He entered the field of inherited retinal diseases when clinical specialists were rare, there was little medical or scientific interest in genetic blindness, and there were no treatments. He leaves behind a legacy of excellence in detailed phenotyping to understand different diseases and careful examination of outcomes in clinical trial interventions.