Mr Robert E MacLaren

							                              Robert E MacLaren
                              MB ChB DipEd DPhil FRCS FRCOphth. King James IV Professor of Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh,
                              Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon, Moorfields Eye Hospital, Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist, Great Ormond
                              Street Hospital for Children & Academy of Medical Sciences/Health Foundation Clinician Scientist Fellow
                              Institute of Ophthalmology             Tel: 020 7608 4033                      Email: mol.therapy@ucl.ac.uk
                              11-43 Bath Street                      Fax: 020 7608 6991                      URL: Molecular Therapy Research
                              London EC1V 9EL


                                                                                   embryonic retinal repair during my PhD in Oxford ten years ago and now
Summary of current research interests                                              continue this research in the Division of Molecular Therapy at the Institute
My clinical research interests are vitreoretinal surgery, inherited and age-
                                                                                   of Ophthalmology. My recent projects have investigated neurotrophin
related retinal diseases, altitude retinopathy, complex cataract surgery and
                                                                                   gene therapy, retinal stem cells and photoreceptor transplantation. I also
intraocular lenses. The main focus of my laboratory research is to develop
                                                                                   teach vitreoretinal surgery and genetics at Moorfields Eye Hospital and hold
new translational treatments for patients who lose sight from retinal disease.
                                                                                   weekly tutorials in biomedical sciences at Merton College Oxford.
This includes the development of gene and cell-based mechanisms for
retinal repair and regeneration. I began working on gene therapy and


                                                                                   Retinal stem cell analysis (with Robin Ali, Peng Khaw, Rachael
Key achievements                                                                   Pearson & Jane Sowden).
First demonstration of successful photoreceptor transplantation and                We are investigating the in vitro potential to differentiate neuronal cells
 restoration of sight in a mouse model of human retinitis pigmentosa (with         from the iris and pars plana region of the human eye.
 Robin Ali and colleagues).
                                                                                   Transplantation of the retinal pigment epithelium for patients with age-
Chief Investigator for the first UK clinical trial of autologous transplantation
                                                                                   related macular degeneration (with Bill Aylward and Lyndon DaCruz at
 of the retinal pigment epithelium as a treatment for age-related macular
                                                                                   Moorfields Eye Hospital).
 degeneration (with Bill Aylward and Lyndon da Cruz).
                                                                                   We recently completed the first UK trial of retinal transplantation surgery
First demonstration that the mammalian optic nerve can regenerate along            for patients with age-related macular degeneration and we are currently
 the visual pathway and reconnect to central targets after damage during a         setting up a second study to develop this new surgical technique further.
 critical period of development (with Jeremy Taylor).
                                                                                   Neurotrophin gene therapy (with Robin Ali and Keith Martin at the Centre
First characterisation of altitude retinopathy as a distinct and independent
                                                                                   for Brain Repair in Cambridge). We are investigating the neuroprotective
 clinical syndrome that occurs in the absence of central retinal vein
                                                                                   properties of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and glial derived
 occlusion or cerebral oedema.
                                                                                   neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in a variety of models of retinal disease,
Recent academic prizes: King James IV Professorship (2007); Academy of             including autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, acute non-arteritic
 Medical Sciences/Health Foundation Principal Research Fellowship (2006);          ischaemic optic neuropathy and open angle glaucoma.
 Moorfields Research Medal (2005); ARVO Gesine Mohn Award (2005);
 Winner of the Royal Society of Medicine Prize Meeting in Ophthalmology            Complex intraocular lenses in cataract surgery (with Bruce Allan and
 (2005); Doyne Cup and Medal, Oxford Ophthalmological Congress (2005);             Marie Restori at Moorfields Eye Hospital).
 Winner of the Alcon Audit Prize (2004).                                           By performing one of the largest analyses of visual results following non-
                                                                                   standard cataract surgery, we have been able to improve the standard
Research Projects                                                                  formulae used to predict intraocular lens power when operating on
Photoreceptor transplantation (with Robin Ali, Rachael Pearson, Tom                patients who are very long- or short-sighted.
Salt & Jane Sowden).
We have recently shown that photoreceptor transplantation is possible if           Publications                Click here for 2001-7 publications list
donor cells are immature neurons at a certain developmental stage. We              MacLaren RE, Uppal GS, Balaggan KS, Tufail A, Munro PM, Milliken AB, Ali
are currently investigating the properties of these cells and the biological       RR, Rubin GS, Aylward GW, DaCruz L (2007) Autologous transplantation of
mechanisms that guide their reconnection after transplantation.                    the retinal pigment epithelium and choroid in the treatment of neovascular
                                                                                   age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology 114:561-70.




                                                                                                                                    www.ucl.ac.uk/ioo
Mr. Robert E MacLaren

MacLaren RE, Pearson RA, MacNeil A, Douglas RH, Salt TE, Akimoto M,        MacLaren RE, Anderson PN, Barker S, Durán Y, Bartholomäe C, Schmidt M,
Swaroop A, Sowden JC, Ali RR (2006) Retinal repair by transplantation of   von Kalle C, Heckenlively JR, Kinnon C, Ali RR, Thrasher AJ (2006) Effective
photoreceptor precursors. Nature 444:203-7.                                gene therapy with non-integrating lentiviral vectors. Nature Medicine
MacLaren RE, Buch PK, Smith AJ, Balaggan KS, MacNeil A, Taylor JS,         12:348-53.
Osborne NN, Ali RR (2006) Neuroprotection by gene transfer of secreted     MacLaren RE, Bird AC, Sathia PJ, Aylward GW (2005) Long-term results of
ciliary neurotrophic factor to ganglion cells undergoing a mechanical      submacular surgery combined with macular translocation of the retinal
axonal injury in the presence of branch vascular occlusion. Experimental   pigment epithelium in neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
Eye Research 83:1118-27.                                                   Ophthalmology 112:2081-7.
Yáñez-Muñoz RJ, Balaggan KS, MacNeil A, Howe SJ, Smith AJ, Buch PK,


 Funding:                                                 Images:
  The Medical Research Council (UK)
  The Health Foundation UK
  Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
  The National Institute for the War Blinded
  The Royal Blind Asylum and School
  The Trustees of Moorfields Eye Hospital
   (approx total £1.4M)


 Collaborators:
  Professor Robin Ali, Institute of Ophthalmology,
    London
  Dr Niels Adams, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute,
    Hinxton, Cambridge
  Mr G William Aylward, Moorfields Eye Hospital,
    London
  Mr Rupert Bourne, Hinchingbrooke Hospital,
    Huntingdon, Cambridge
  Professor Ron Douglas, City University, London
  Professor Glen Jeffery, Institute of Ophthalmology,
    London
  Dr Amy Lo, University of Hong-Hong
  Mr Keith Martin, Brain Repair Centre, University of
    Cambridge
  Professor Neville Osborne, University of Oxford
  Professor Adam Sillito, Institute of Ophthalmology,
    London




 Useful Links:
  •Moorfields Eye Hospital:
    www.moorfields.nhs.uk
  •Robin Ali Research Group:
    www.ucl.ac.uk/ioo/research/ali.htm
  •Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh:
    www.rcsed.ac.uk
  •Royal College of Ophthalmologists:
    www.rcophth.ac.uk
  •The Health Foundation:
    www.health.org.uk
  •The Academy of Medical Sciences:
    www.acmedsci.ac.uk
  •Merton College Oxford:
    www.merton.ox.ac.uk/subjects/medicine.html
  •Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children:
    www.gosh.org




                                                                                                                            www.ucl.ac.uk/ioo