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The newly appointed Managing Director of the Lions Eye Institute and The University of Western Australia Professor of Ophthalmology, Associate Professor David Mackey, will deliver this year's Ian Constable Lecture on 15 September.

The lecture - The ‘I' in Personalised Genetics - will look at how studies involving identical twins have revealed that our genes do not always completely control our destiny.

He points out that the Human Genome Project heralded a new era in genetic testing to predict people at risk from many common diseases, with age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma being good examples of studies revealing a genetic link.

However, as research involving identical twins shows, for some conditions our genes do not completely determine our destiny, with environmental factors interacting with our genetic profile.

A/Professor Mackey is recognised internationally for his research on the genetics of eye disease and is a specialist ophthalmologist for genetic eye diseases.

He is currently a Pfizer Australia Senior Research Fellow, Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne's Department of Ophthalmology, and Clinical Professor at the University of Tasmania. He also runs the genetic eye clinics at the Royal Children's Hospital and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne.

The lecture will be on Monday 15 September 2008 at UWA's Octagon Theatre, 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start.

The annual Ian Constable Lecture is presented by UWA's Institute of Advanced Studies to acknowledge the contributions of Professor Ian Constable. Professor Constable established the Lions Eye Institute in 1983 and transformed it into the largest eye research institute in the southern hemisphere.

A/Professor Mackey will take up his duties at the Lions Eye Institute on 1 March 2009.

Media references

David Cohen (Lions Eye Institute)  (+61 4) 14 780 441
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716