ABOUT ADRIANA DI POLO

Canada Research Chair in Glaucoma and Age-Related Neurodegeneration
Professor, Departments of Neuroscience and Ophthalmology, Université de Montréal

Adriana Di Polo is an internationally recognized neuroscientist whose pioneering work has transformed our understanding of how neurodegeneration develops in glaucoma. She is a Full Professor in the Departments of Neuroscience and Ophthalmology at the Université de Montréal and holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Glaucoma and Age-Related Neurodegeneration.

After earning her BSc in Biology from the Universidad Central de Venezuela, Dr. Di Polo completed a PhD in Physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, followed by postdoctoral training at the Center for Research in Neuroscience at McGill University. She joined the Université de Montréal in 2000, where she established a dynamic research program aimed at uncovering how retinal cells interact to maintain visual function and what goes awry in disease.

Her laboratory investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal, glial, and vascular dysfunction in glaucoma, with the ultimate goal of developing regenerative and neuroprotective strategies to preserve and restore vision. Her research has been continuously supported by leading national and international funding agencies and foundations.

Dr. Di Polo is a respected leader and active contributor to the vision-science community. She serves on many advisory boards for major national and international agencies and non-profit organization. She currently serves as Director of the Retina and Posterior Segment Group of the Quebec Vision Health Research Network and was President of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience.

Her groundbreaking work has earned numerous international distinctions, including the Shaffer Prize for Innovative Glaucoma Research, the Lewis Rudin Glaucoma Research Prize, and the Alcon Research Institute Senior Investigator Award. She is an ARVO Gold Fellow, an honor conferred by the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field.

Dr. Di Polo is deeply committed to mentoring and training the next generation of vision scientists. She has supervised numerous postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research associates, fostering an inclusive environment of curiosity, collaboration, and scientific rigor. Her trainees have gone on to secure competitive fellowships, launch independent research programs, and assume leadership roles in academia and industry. She takes great pride in supporting their professional growth and in helping them build the skills, confidence, and networks needed for lasting success in science.