Mark Pennesi

Dr. Pennesi is a Professor of Ophthalmology at Oregon Health & Science University’s (OHSU) School of Medicine. He also holds the Kenneth C. Swan Endowed Professorship and is the Chief of the Ophthalmic Genetics Division at the Casey Eye Institute at OHSU. His research is focused on developing novel therapeutic regimens for inherited retinal diseases. He is the PI or co-PI on numerous clinical trials, including for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. In addition, he is an investigator for antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies, including for RHO autosomal dominant RP. He is a principal investigator on the Allergan Brilliance study, where the first patient was treated with gene editing from CEP290-related retinopathy.

In 2011, Dr. Pennesi received the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)/Alcon Early Career Clinician-Scientist Research Award. He was awarded the Alcon Young Investigator Award in 2014 and a Residency Teaching Award in 2015. Dr. Pennesi has also received Career Development Awards from Research to Prevent Blindness and Foundation Fighting Blindness. Dr. Pennesi also serves as a scientific and clinical consultant and is on advisory boards at several organizations. He has been elected to the Macula Society and Retina Society. Dr. Pennesi earned his MD and Ph.D. from the Baylor College of Medicine and his BS from the University of Pennsylvania.