01 February 2026
Sunday, February 1st, saw the 18th Champalimaud Symposium in Hyderabad, India. This annual meeting was created by the Champalimaud Foundation in partnership with the LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) and gathers some of the leading figures in vision research and clinical eyecare.
As always, President of the Champalimaud Foundation, Leonor Beleza, was in Hyderabad to participate in the meeting and celebrate the long-standing friendship between the two institutions. Her speech stressed the importance of collaboration in an ever-changing world and a commitment to innovation and disruption in healthcare. These words were echoed by LVPEI’s Executive Chair and Founder, respectively, Drs Prashant Garg, and GN Rao.
The 2026 edition of the symposium placed an emphasis on the role of AI and technology in improving clinical care. The 2026 Champalimaud Symposium speaker, Prof. Tien Wong, in particular, talked of the need to match technological advancements with implementation in the clinic. Prof. Wong was joined by Professors Nathan Congdon, Prithvi Mruthyunjaya and Alex Levin as guest speakers. Key members of the LVPEI faculty also presented their work.
The partnership between the Champalimaud Foundation dates back to 2008 with the launch of the CTRACER (Champalimaud Translational Centre for Eye Research) project. Since then, both institutes have maintained close connections and a commitment to learning and debate via the annual symposium. The 2027 meeting will take place in Hyderabad in February 2027.
Text By Andrew Tasker, Champalimaud Foundation’s Director of Business Affairs
