LECTURE: X-linked Retinoschisis: A case study in the evolution of disease understanding

The Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Robson

Invites you to the fifth annual

Ian Constable Lecture On Monday 23 August at 7.00pm FJ Clarke Lecture Theatre (QEII Campus of UWA off Verdun Street, Nedlands)

To be presented by Professor Paul Sieving Director, National Eye Institute, National Institute of Health; Bethesda, Maryland, USA

X-linked Retinoschisis: A case study in the evolution of disease understanding

The nexus between science and its applications is an important one. Scientific discovery plays a vital role in economic and social development including in progressing our understanding of disease. The advent of gene discoveries over the past decade has led to a remarkable acceleration of medical knowledge that is fundamentally changing our understanding of diseases and how they might be tackled clinically.

There are 45 million people blind and 135 million with low vision worldwide and it is estimated that the incidence of blindness will double by the year 2020. Blindness has profound human and socio-economic consequences. Prevention of eye disease is best achieved through rigorous scientific investigation.

Professor Sieving’s presentation on X-linked Retinoschisis - a genetic eye disease which strikes young males and for which there is no cure – is a fascinating case study of the evolution of knowledge through disease gene identification which allows genetic testing and provides hope for future development of treatment.

Professor Paul Sieving Professor Sieving holds an honours degree in physics and history from Valparaiso University, an M.S. in physics from Yale University, an M.D. from the University of Illinois Medical School and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Illinois Graduate School. He is presently Director of the National Eye Institute, a National Institute of Health (NIH) established by the American Congress in 1968 which employs 300 scientists, has an annual operating budget of around US$510million and administers 1,600 international vision research grants and training awards.

Since 1986 Professor Sieving has received continuous grant support as Principal Investigator for research into the genetic basis for human retinal degenerations and the biology of the retinal cells that deteriorate leading to a loss of vision. He leads clinical investigations with those affected by these conditions and reviews therapies which might moderate vision loss. Included amongst Professor Sieving’s many awards and honours are the Senior Scientific Investigator Award from Research to Prevent Blindness and the Alcon Award from the Alcon Research Institute. He is a Member of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, one of the world’s largest professional organisations, and has served on numerous NIH study sections and advisory and editorial boards.

Please register by telephoning the Institute of Advanced Studies on 6488 2020 or email [email protected]. au