Welcome to IRD Coffee Connections Toronto

Dr. Gareth Mercer is a retina surgeon at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children, and leads a clinic for patients with inherited retinal dystrophies at the Kensington Eye Institute. His clinical and research interests focus on inherited retinal diseases, pediatric retinal detachment, and improving equity in access to eye care.

Dr. Lia Huo completed her PhD at the University of Toronto, where her doctoral research in biomedical engineering focused on developing a slow-release biomaterial system for sustained delivery of vision-preserving proteins in retinal degeneration. In 2023, she was one of five women across Canada to receive the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science fellowship. Now in the final year of her medical training, Dr. Huo’s commitment to inherited retinal disease extends beyond research — having supported her father through vision loss, she is passionate about patient education and advocacy for individuals and families affected by inherited vision loss.

Stuart Matan-Lithwick is a CIHR-recognized neuroinformatics research scientist, high school Biology teacher, and youth mentor who is an expert at engaging people with lived experience in research. Living with Retinitis Pigmentosa himself, he considers his reduced vision to be his greatest asset rather than a weakness. Outside of work, he sings pop tunes with the a cappella choir SoundCrowd and is dad to his daughter, Grace.

Jennifer McKellar is a retired teacher, wife, and mother of two young women. Her eldest daughter lives with Stargardt disease, which led Jennifer and her family to become involved with Fighting Blindness Canada eleven years ago. Over that time, she has been a committed member of the FBC community, bringing both a parent’s perspective and a lifelong educator’s passion for learning to the conversation.

Robin Skeates is a Water Resources Engineer living with Usher Syndrome Type 2A. He was born hearing impaired and has gradually lost his eyesight over the years. He is an advocate for sustainable community development taking into account an intersection of diverse groups. Robin is a Vice Chair of the Disability Advisory Council, and employee network within the Ontario Public Service.