Scientific & Medical Advisory Committee
Lauren is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Optometry and Vision Sciences and Surgery (Ophthalmology) at the University of Melbourne, and Co-Lead of the Retinal Gene Therapy Unit at the Centre for Eye Research Australia. Her clinical training was in optometry, followed by a PhD in traumatic brain injury. For the past 15 years, her career has focused on inherited retinal diseases, including validation of emerging therapeutic options.
With her co-Lead at CERA, Dr Tom Edwards, Lauren has led almost 15 industry-sponsored clinical trials, as well as leading the VENTURE IRD patient registry, which enables both research and a way to connect with people who may be interested in participating in clinical trials. Her team have expertise in all aspects of IRDs, including clinical, psychosocial and genetic programs of work. The team also work closely with colleagues around Australia and the world, including being Australia’s first site for the global Foundation Fighting Blindness Clinical Consortium.
In addition to her research into IRDs, Lauren is very interested in research translation and impact, and is the Associate Dean of Innovation and Enterprise for the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne.
