"Moore" Work to be Done: The Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative

Mary Tyler Moore became a household name for her standout TV performances in the 60's and 70's. However, an unanticipated Type 1 diabetes diagnosis at the age of 33 ultimately ignited a new passion for diabetes research, education and advocacy. Her diagnosis and subsequent experience living with diabetic retinal disease (DRD) helped fuel her championing efforts for over 30 years. As a result, the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative was launched to honor her work and steadfast commitment to diabetes research.

Mary Tyler Moore’s tireless pursuit advances with the "Diabetes Retinal Disease Clinical Endpoints Workshop"- a partnership between CDI and the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative. This inaugural workshop, held in Ann Arbor on October 25, 2022, included over 90 attendees with a diverse representation from around the world. Patients and representatives from JDRF, the National Institutes of Health, American Diabetes Association, US Food and Drug Administration and others met with researchers and clinicians from the United States, Europe, Japan, Singapore, and Australia to discuss various methods for improved diagnosis of DRD.

Establishing Diabetic Retinal Disease Clinical Endpoints is a critical piece of the MTM Vision Initiative’s response to developing new methods to diagnose Diabetic Retinal Disease, assess severity and risk, and predict rate of progression and response to therapy.  The workshop identified knowledge gaps in the field and the participants will continue to work in a public-private consortium to develop new endpoints for research and clinical care of patients with this condition. In addition, U-M will serve as the home to a new human ocular biorepository and sample sharing network, led by Patrice Fort, PhD.

“We believe that utilizing measures of visual function and quality of life, underlying basic and cellular mechanisms, and attributes of retinal neural endovascular pathophysiology that are not represented on color fundus photographs can contribute to better clinical outcomes and facilitate research, and are undertaking this effort to prove that hypothesis,” says Steering Committee Chairman, S. Robert Levine, MD

https://www.marytylermoore.org/