Vision of Tomorrow

Our eyes are the window to the world, allowing us to navigate cities, manage daily tasks, and enjoy nature and art. At the moment, 2.2 billion people worldwide live with visual impairment or blindness. In most of these cases, the affected part of the eye is the retina. More specifically, the light-sensing cells, called photoreceptors, gradually die over time, leading to vision loss. Researchers are currently exploring several approaches to restore vision. One promising strategy is to grow new photoreceptors from stem cells and transplant them into the blind eye. But what exactly are stem cells, why is this approach so promising, and what other factors need to be considered when developing such a therapy?

Throughout the history of science, theoretical predictions have proven to be a powerful tool for discovering, for example, new planets and elementary particles. Today, we are able to calculate the properties of complex functional materials using a computer, as well as predict novel chemical compounds and design them at the atomic level.
This engaging talk will present the role and power of modern quantum theoretical computational methods for predicting new materials and their potential high-tech applications.