About us

Soufiane has a background in mathematics and statistics. He developed the technology commercialized by RetiNov during his PhD in epidemiology as part of the EyeRisk consortium funded by the European Horizon 2020 program. He is a 2021 winner of BPI France’s i-PhD innovation program. He also attended the HEC Challenge + program to acquire a solid grounding in entrepreneurship. Today, he guides RetiNov’s technological, regulatory and strategic vision. Finally, AMD runs in his family. So, bringing this project to fruition is a promise he has made to family members suffering from the disease, and one he intends to keep.

Jean is an engineer (X-Ponts), MBA, MSc in Cognitive Sciences (ENS Ulm). He began his career in signal processing for electroencephalographic (EEG) imaging at INRIA. He developed several start-ups in modeling and digital (open innovation), intersecting a career in administration (Bercy, French Embassy in China). Jean is in charge of RetiNov’s administrative and financial management.

Thibaud is an accomplished Software Engineer with significant experience in various tech startups. He is a serial entrepreneur with more than 12 years of experience at C-level positions (mainly CTO). Beyond technical proficiency, he is also staying current with industry trends, especially in healthcare where he has more than 8 years of experience. Thibaud leads the technical developments at RetiNov.

Florent is a passionate developer with over 15 years of experience in development. Throughout his career, he has worked with a wide range of technologies, specializing in building high-performance and user-friendly applications. An amateur of open source, Florent actively contributes to community projects, including those at NuxtLabs. Always seeking innovation, he leverages his expertise to deliver modern and reliable solutions.

With a background in sociology, Carolina spent five years working as a statistics engineer within the French Ministry. During this time, they developed a specialized tool for the statistical analysis of youth integration and education, making it a priority to ensure that the data was accessible to as many people as possible through innovative computer tools. After this enriching experience, they sought to challenge themselves further by exploring a new career path. To bridge the gap between technical expertise and theoretical concepts, they transitioned into web development. Following comprehensive training and hands-on experience with Nuxt.js (a Vue.js framework), they joined the Retinov team with enthusiasm. Today, they take pride in leveraging their combined skills in sociology, statistics, and web development to support a meaningful and impactful cause.

Cécile is a research director at the French National Institute of Health (INSERM), where she supervised Soufiane’s thesis and was PI of the European EyeRisk consortium. She is internationally recognized for her work in identifying risk factors for major eye diseases. She has led two major population-based epidemiological studies in this field since 1995 (POLA and ALIENOR). From 2011 to 2018, she founded and led the E3 (European Eye Epidemiology) consortium, bringing together 32 teams from 13 European countries, and was workpackage leader in two European projects (EyeRisk (2015-2019) and SenseCog (2016-2022)), awarded as part of the European Horizon 2020 program. She has been principal investigator on several national grants, including the ANR BLISAR project (2014-2018). She is the author of over 200 articles published in international journals. She also received the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Achievement Award in 2019. Cécile is helping startup RetiNov steer its technological developments, mainly in the context of developing a blood biomarker reflecting lifestyle exposures and predictive of AMD risk.

Jean-François has been Professor of Ophthalmology at Bordeaux University Hospital since 1999, and Head of the Ophthalmology Department since May 2013. He is the author of over 200 articles published in international scientific journals. He is involved in clinical research studies, mainly focusing on the epidemiology of eye and retinal diseases (AMD, diabetic macular edema, retinal detachment, etc.). Jean-François is a member of the Société Française d’Ophtalmologie (SFO) (former president from May 2013 to May 2015), the Club Francophone des Spécialistes de le Rétine (CFSR), the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), Association for Reasearch in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), Euretina, European association for Vision and Eye Research (EVER) and Club Jules Gonin (board member). He also participates in expert council meetings for pharmaceutical organizations such as Bayer, Novaris, Roche, Allergan, Laboratoires Théa and retinograph manufacturers such as Zeiss. Jean-François connects RetiNov with European ophthalmologists for beta-testing studies.

Catherine is currently Head of the Ophthalmology Department and Head of the Ambulatory Surgery Unit at Dijon University Hospital. She is the author of over 200 articles published in international scientific journals. Her main areas of interest are retinal surgery, diabetic retinopathy and AMD. Catherine was also President of the French Ophthalmological Society (SFO) in 2016. She was Chair of the Education Committee of the European Board of Ophthalmology (EBO) and President of the EBO from 2013 to 2015. As head of the research division at Dijon University Hospital since 2012, she is in charge of all the hospital’s research programs and has been coordinator of three national clinical trials as part of the Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique (PHRC). She has been a consultant to the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) and an expert advisor to the Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament (ANSM) since 1999 on dry eye, allergy, nutrition, AMD and diabetic retinopathy. She was named Chevalier des Palmes Académiques in 2011 and Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in 2013 (highest national distinction). Catherine is helping RetiNov to steer its strategy for penetrating the European market by leveraging her network.

Marily is a behavioral and learning scientist. She completed her doctorate in Educational Psychology at Stanford in 2013. She also is a registered dietitian and has her master's of nutritional science. She completed her dietetic internship at the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital, and currently consults as a sports dietitian for Stanford's Runsafe program. Her research interests leverage her interdisciplinary training, with a focus on how to get people to change to improve their health and well-being. Marily is now collaborating with RetiNov to integrate behavioral changes techniques into Tina's results report.

Bénédicte, a dietician by training, is interested in the impact of nutrition on eye diseases such as AMD and visual impairment. After a doctoral thesis in epidemiology at the University of Bordeaux, two post-doctorates in the ophthalmology department of the Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Créteil and at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, she is currently an INSERM research fellow. Bénédicte has worked on several large French and US cohorts on AMD, with the objective of studying with the influence of lifestyle on ocular health, from overall lifestyle patterns (eg, dietary patterns) to biomarkers of the exposome. Bénédicte helps RetiNov with the design of the dietary interventions for patients at risk of AMD.

Niyazi is Director of Research at INRAe, where, with Catherine Creuzot-Garcher, he heads the Eye, Nutrition and Cell Signaling team. The team’s scientific themes focus on the role of dietary lipids in the physiology of the eye and retina, and the development of innovative tools and therapies for the management of patients suffering from visual pathologies. Niyazi Acar trained as a physiologist at university, specializing in lipid nutrition, followed by a PhD thesis dedicated to the impact of dietary lipids on retinal and cerebral neurons during development and aging. Niyazi worked closely with Cécile and Soufiane on the ANR Blisar project to predict Omega-3 content in the retina using a circulating biomarker. This research resulted in a patent filed in Europe, the USA and Japan. Niyazi is now collaborating with RetiNov to develop a nutritional blood biomarker predictive of the risk of advanced AMD.

Howard is President of the New England College of Optometry (NECO). Prior to his appointment, he served as the Senior Vice President, Customer Development for Essilor of America. Prior to joining Essilor he spent 13 years as Senior Director of Professional Affairs for Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. Howard is a Diplomate in the Cornea and Contact Lens Section of the American Academy of Optometry. Howard actively contributes to RetiNov‘s success by facilitating the development of strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in the vision industry, as well as playing a pivotal role in the beta test launch of its Orusight platform with optometrists nationwide in the USA.

Jean is a board-certified director (INSEAD). A former senior executive and CEO with successful experience in healthcare and consumer goods, he was COO of Essilor (now EssilorLuxottica) from 2014 to 2020 and CEO of Essilor of America from 2007 to 2014. Jean has extensive international experience in strategic positions in North America, Asia and Europe, as well as expertise in business, product and service innovation. He also has extensive experience in acquisitions (over 150), mergers and integrations. Jean is a former board member of Essilor, Transitions Optical, several joint ventures and non-profit boards. Jean is currently supporting RetiNov in its strategy to penetrate the North American market.

Dr. Neda Gioia is a leading optometrist and nutrition specialist dedicated to integrating functional medicine into eye care. She is the founder of Integrative Vision, a practice in Shrewsbury, NJ, that emphasizes whole-body health to optimize eye health. Dr. Gioia's approach combines primary eye care with personalized nutritional interventions to address systemic health issues impacting vision. She also serves as the President of the Ocular Wellness and Nutrition Society and is an advocate for educating healthcare professionals on the connection between nutrition and ocular health.

Dorothy, widely recognized as `America's Eye Doctor,` is a nationally acclaimed optometrist, educator, and healthcare innovator with over 28 years of experience. A dual-board-certified expert in medical optometry and retinal imaging, she has served as Chief of Optometry for the Department of Veterans Affairs and directed residency programs for over two decades. Dr. Hitchmoth is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and the Optometric Retina Society, with extensive contributions to ocular biomarkers research and public health advocacy. Currently, she leads a private practice in New London, NH, focusing on macular degeneration care and telehealth innovation while serving on multiple advisory boards. A passionate advocate for patient-centered care, she has received numerous accolades, including the AOA Advocate of the Year and the Project C.U.R.E. International Hero Award. Dorothy is currently supporting RetiNov in its strategy to penetrate the North American market through her large network of optometrists.

Baris has a long and successful career in software and quality engineering, spanning over 20 years. He specializes in creating digital solutions for the medical field, such as medical devices and software as medical devices. He has worked as a founder & CTO of a startup and as a senior leader in a corporate environment such as Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Novartis. Baris is currently supporting RetivNov in its product development and technology strategy.

Stephane is a senior executive with over 25 years’ experience at Novartis. He has been working in the field of ophthalmology for over 10 years, and was instrumental in making Lucentis a double blockbuster. More recently, he has focused on bringing non-drug solutions to the visually impaired, using transformative technologies to improve patient outcomes and their daily lives. Stephane holds an MBA from London Business School and Columbia Business School. He is a board member of “The Apfelschule”, a non-profit organization dedicated to making technology accessible to visually impaired patients. Stephane supports RetiNov in its commercial strategy with major pharmaceutical groups.

David is a highly experienced optometrist with over 40 years of practice in primary eye care. A graduate with honors from the Ohio State University College of Optometry in 1984, he has served as a past president of both the local Optometric Society and the Virginia State Board of Optometry. Dr. Hettler is a Diplomate of the American Board of Optometry and was honored as Virginia Optometrist of the Year. Currently, he serves as the Regional Medical Director for Clarkson Eyecare in Virginia, where he provides comprehensive eye care services. David is currently supporting RetiNov in its strategy to penetrate the North American market through his large network of optometrists.

Laurent has over 25 years of experience in IT services and management of tech companies. He set up and run several companies and offshore delivery centers in Europe, Asia and North America. In 2009, he started from scratch the Chinese subsidiary of Groupe Open. He signed several distribution contracts for European ISV and developed digital marketing and logistics’ centers of expertise serving Fortune 500 companies in Retail, Healthcare, Fashion as well as state owned Chinese companies. In 2018, he moved to the USA and started Europass Inc, a digital marketing and mobile solution company focusing on Chinese outbound tourism. In 2019, he signed a deal with New York City (largest western destination for Chinese tourists). Laurent is involved as an investor or advisor in several companies helping them grow on the US market. Laurent supports RetiNov in penetrating the US market and helps with the fundraising with American investors.

Donna Auger is the Executive Director of the Macular Degeneration Association (MDA), bringing over 32 years of expertise in the optometric and opticianry fields. Licensed as an optician since 1991, Ms. Auger has dedicated her career to improving the lives of individuals affected by macular degeneration and other vision-related conditions. In her role at MDA, Donna oversees the organization’s mission to advance research, provide education, and improve the quality of life for patients, their families, and caregivers. Donna helps Retinov strengthen patient advocacy and engagement by providing valuable insights into patient needs, ensuring that Retinov’s solutions are patient-centered.

Matthew Levine serves as the Director of Grants, Advocacy & Partnerships at the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF), where he has been a passionate advocate for advancing research, education, and patient support related to AMD. With over 30 years of experience in communications and a focus on vision research since 2003, Matthew plays a pivotal role in shaping AMDF’s mission to improve the lives of those affected by AMD. Matthew helps Retinov establish strategic collaborations with other patient organizations, secure funding for research initiatives, and amplify awareness of Tina as a tool for AMD prevention.

Jennifer Williams serves as the Director of Communications and Community Engagement at the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF). In this role, she is dedicated to raising awareness about AMD and supporting those affected by the condition. Jennifer oversees AMDF’s communication strategies, educational initiatives, and community outreach programs, ensuring that patients and their families have access to vital resources and information. Her efforts focus on bridging the gap between complex scientific advancements and public understanding. Jennifer is currently supporting Retinov in shaping communication strategies, enhancing patient engagement, and aligning Retinov’s technology with the real-world needs of AMD patients to ensure accessibility, trust, and adoption.