Robert E. MacLaren FMedSci FRCOphth

FRCS Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS) is a professional qualification to practise as a senior surgeon in Ireland or the United Kingdom. It is bestowed on an intercollegiate basis by the four Royal Colleges of Surgeons (the Royal ...

FACS VR (born 14 November 1966) is a British ophthalmologist who has led pioneering work in the treatment of blindness caused by diseases of the

retina The retina (from la, rete "net") is the innermost, light-sensitive layer of tissue of the eye of most vertebrates and some molluscs. The optics of the eye create a focused two-dimensional image of the visual world on the retina, which then ...

. He is Professor of

Ophthalmology Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...

at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

and Honorary Professor of Ophthalmology at the

UCL Institute of Ophthalmology The UCL Institute of Ophthalmology is an institute within the Faculty of Brain Sciences of University College London (UCL) and is based in London, United Kingdom. The institute conducts research and post-graduate teaching in the area of ophthal ...

. He is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Oxford Eye Hospital and an Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist at the

Great Ormond Street Hospital Great Ormond Street Hospital (informally GOSH or Great Ormond Street, formerly the Hospital for Sick Children) is a children's hospital located in the Bloomsbury area of the London Borough of Camden, and a part of Great Ormond Street Hospit ...

. He is also an Honorary Consultant Vitreo-retinal Surgeon at the

Moorfields Eye Hospital Moorfields Eye Hospital is a specialist NHS eye hospital in Finsbury in the London Borough of Islington in London, England run by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Together with the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, which is adjacen ...

. MacLaren is an NIHR Senior Investigator, or lead researcher, for the speciality of Ophthalmology. In addition, he is a member of the research committee of Euretina: the European Society of Retina specialists,

Fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

of Merton College, in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

and a Fellow of the

Higher Education Academy Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy) is a British charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. It advocates evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as professional recogniti ...

Early life

Edinburgh Medical School building, Teviot Place

Robert MacLaren was born on 14 November 1966, at

Epsom Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. The ...

in Surrey. His father was a photographer, which prompted an early interest in

optics Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultrav ...

. MacLaren was educated and trained at the

University of Edinburgh Medical School The University of Edinburgh Medical School (also known as Edinburgh Medical School) is the medical school of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and the United Kingdom and part of the University of Edinburgh College of Medicine and Veterinar ...

, from 1985 to 1990, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine (MB) and a Bachelor of Surgery (ChB). Dr. MacLaren then earned an academic

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...

, between 1992 and 1995, at the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

, where the PhD is known as a

DPhil A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

. The doctorate was for his work on optic-nerve regeneration. As an undergraduate, he also attended courses at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...

, in the United States.

Ophthalmology

MacLaren was appointed Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Oxford in March 2009. In February of the same year, he was made Honorary Professor of Ophthalmology at the

. He has been a Fellow of the

Royal College of Ophthalmologists The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, founded in 1988, is an independent professional body and one of the Medical Royal Colleges. They set the standards and examinations for medical doctors aiming to become ophthalmologists, and provide surgical ...

(FRCOphth) since June 2003. MacLaren is a professor in the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology (NLO), the academic ophthalmology outstation of Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, which is part of the Medical Sciences Division and based in the

John Radcliffe Hospital The John Radcliffe Hospital (informally known as the JR) is a large tertiary teaching hospital in Oxford, England. It forms part of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is named after John Radcliffe, an 18th-century physic ...

. MacLaren is described as 'one of the stars' of the developing

inter-disciplinary Interdisciplinarity or interdisciplinary studies involves the combination of multiple academic disciplines into one activity (e.g., a research project). It draws knowledge from several other fields like sociology, anthropology, psychology, ec ...

field of ophthalmic

translational medicine Translational medicine (often called translational science, of which it is a form) is defined by the European Society for Translational Medicine as "an interdisciplinary branch of the biomedical field supported by three main pillars: benchside, bed ...

(TM). This combines practical skills in eye surgery with clinical academic application in research, to investigate the diseases of the eye 'from bench to bedside': aiming to improve patient outcomes, at least by arresting or slowing the progress of a disease, or – ideally – by reversing the effects, partially or totally. Once the processes of the diseases are understood, new surgical technologies are furthering the options for a surgical solution and new ophthalmic technologies have created a variety of implants, such as electronic retinal devices for prosthesis. Furthermore, the enhanced precision of surgery allows additional interventions, with the application of

gene therapy Gene therapy is a medical field which focuses on the genetic modification of cells to produce a therapeutic effect or the treatment of disease by repairing or reconstructing defective genetic material. The first attempt at modifying human DN ...

and

stem-cell therapy Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. , the only established therapy using stem cells is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This usually takes the form of a bone-marrow transplantation, but ...

to retinal dystrophies (inherited conditions).

Surgery

MacLaren has been a Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon for the

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an English teaching hospital and part of the Shelford Group. It is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals and one of the List of hospitals by capacity, largest hospitals in Europe. The trus ...

(OUH) since March 2009. His surgical work is based largely at the Oxford Eye Hospital and the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology LO both located within the

, on

Headington Hill Headington Hill is a hill in the east of Oxford, England, in the suburb of Headington. The Headington Road goes up the hill leading out of the city. There are good views of the spires of Oxford from the hill, especially from the top of South Park ...

in Oxford. He has also been Honorary Consultant Vitreoretinal Surgeon at

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is an NHS foundation trust which runs Moorfields Eye Hospital. The Trust employs over 1,700 people. Over 24,000 ophthalmic operations are carried out and over 300,000 patients are seen by the hospita ...

, in London, since May 2006. He has been a Fellow of the

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located o ...

(RCSEd) since July 1998 and was awarded their annual King James IV Professorship in 2007. He is one of the first surgeons in the world to have made a successful

retinal implant Retinal prostheses for restoration of sight to patients blinded by retinal degeneration are being developed by a number of private companies and research institutions worldwide. The system is meant to partially restore useful vision to people who ...

for

visual prosthesis A visual prosthesis, often referred to as a bionic eye, is an experimental visual device intended to restore functional vision in those with partial or total blindness. Many devices have been developed, usually modeled on the cochlear implant or ...

, sometimes described as creating: a 'bionic eye'. He is also a pioneer in robot-assisted surgery for ophthalmic operations. Key events of his work at the Moorfields and John Radcliffe hospitals include: ;2007 World's First Retinal Gene-Therapy Surgery MacLaren was the assistant surgeon to (Professor) James Bainbridge and helped perform the world's first retinal gene therapy treatment. The operation was carried out at Moorfields in London. The patient was Mr. Robert Johnson, a young man with

Leber's Congenital Amaurosis Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a rare inherited eye disease that appears at birth or in the first few months of life. It affects about 1 in 40,000 newborns. LCA was first described by Theodor Leber in the 19th century. It should not be co ...

(LCA). A faulty gene in the pigment layer, RPE65, prevented his photoreceptor cells from working, so a valid copy of the gene was implanted in one eye to 'patch' the blind-spot and restore function. The delicate operation required passing a needle through the eye, to lift the retina and insert the new gene-copy in the pigment layer. ;2011 Choroideremia Gene Therapy Trial This trial was funded by the Health Innovation Challenge Fund and the Oxford (OUH) BRC. It addressed the progress of the disease

choroideremia Choroideremia (; CHM) is a rare, X-linked recessive form of hereditary retinal degeneration that affects roughly 1 in 50,000 males. The disease causes a gradual loss of vision, starting with childhood night blindness, followed by peripheral vision ...

, or choroideraemia, in which a faulty gene, CHM, leads to a loss of REP1 protein, affecting the

retinal pigment epithelium The pigmented layer of retina or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is the pigmented cell layer just outside the neurosensory retina that nourishes retinal visual cells, and is firmly attached to the underlying choroid and overlying retinal visual ce ...

(RPE) and causing progressive loss of vision. On 24 November 2011, Mr. Jonathan Wyatt, a Bristol barrister, received a 'good copy' of the REP1 gene, administered through an

adeno-associated virus Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) are small viruses that infect humans and some other primate species. They belong to the genus ''Dependoparvovirus'', which in turn belongs to the family ''Parvoviridae''. They are small (approximately 26 nm in di ...

(AAV) – serotype 2 (AAV2) – as a vector, in fluid under the retina. By 2016, the results of the trial appeared both 'promising and lasting' and further work was authorised, with a view to seeing whether the process could eventually be applied to more common conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). ;2012/2015 Electronic Retinal Implant Trials These trials, funded by the NIHR and the Oxford (OUH) BRC, tested the ability of an electronic retina to replace a retina that has become damaged, a development common in patients with the hereditary condition

retinitis pigmentosa Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic disorder of the eyes that causes loss of vision. Symptoms include trouble seeing at night and decreasing peripheral vision (side and upper or lower visual field). As peripheral vision worsens, people may ...

(RP). The implants were developed by German company Retina Implant AG. The devices also require a power-plant to be inserted behind the ear, in the manner of a cochlear implant. The pilot-trial of 22 March 2012 tested the Alpha IMS device. The supporting power-plant procedure was carried out by surgeon Mr. James Ramsden with Mr. Markus Groppe. The main operation was undertaken, at Oxford, by MacLaren with Mr. Tim Jackson, consultant surgeon at Kings College Hospital. The patient was Chris James, a council-worker from Wiltshire. MacLaren suggested that if the trial were successful, an electronic retina could become standard for patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). He warned that current devices were not suitable to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or diseases of the optic-nerve, such as glaucoma. The following week, Mr. Jackson, with Prof. MacLaren, operated on Robin Millar, a music-producer, in London; another four UK patients also received the device during that year. On 8 June 2015, the improved Alpha AMS device was implanted in the first patient, again with MacLaren carrying out the procedure, in Oxford. ;2016 Robot-Assisted Surgery Trial In the past, retinal diseases of the eye could be monitored to microscopic level – using laser scanners and microscopes – but interventions were not possible because the delicate nature of the eye meant that surgical operations were beyond the physiological limits of the human hand. On 9 September 2016, operating at the

, MacLaren and Dr. Thomas Edwards performed the world's first robot-assisted operation ''inside'' the eye. The patient was the Rev. Dr. William Beaver, a local priest. This operation was described as the 'R2D2 Trial', because it was testing the safety and efficacy of the ''Robotic Retinal-Dissection Device'' (R2D2), developed by Dutch firm Preceyes BV (pronounced: ''precise''!). The operation involved lifting off a damaged membrane, 100th millimetre thick, from the retina, at the back of the eye; the robot's tolerance, however, would have allowed work to 1000th millimetre. The operation proved the efficacy of the new technologies available, allowing the possibility of exploiting their potential to new scientific and a medical ends: MacLaren said that with robotic systems, a whole new chapter of eye surgery had just begun. ;2017 X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa Gene Therapy Trial Mutations in the

X-linked Sex linked describes the sex-specific patterns of inheritance and presentation when a gene mutation (allele) is present on a sex chromosome (allosome) rather than a non-sex chromosome (autosome). In humans, these are termed X-linked recessive, ...

RPGR gene are the most common cause of severe sight loss in

. The RPGR gene contains a highly repetitive sequence of

purine Purine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound that consists of two rings ( pyrimidine and imidazole) fused together. It is water-soluble. Purine also gives its name to the wider class of molecules, purines, which include substituted purines ...

bases in the DNA with a large section comprising almost exclusively

Guanine Guanine () ( symbol G or Gua) is one of the four main nucleobases found in the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, the others being adenine, cytosine, and thymine (uracil in RNA). In DNA, guanine is paired with cytosine. The guanine nucleoside is c ...

Adenine Adenine () ( symbol A or Ade) is a nucleobase (a purine derivative). It is one of the four nucleobases in the nucleic acid of DNA that are represented by the letters G–C–A–T. The three others are guanine, cytosine and thymine. Its deri ...

nucleotide Nucleotides are organic molecules consisting of a nucleoside and a phosphate. They serve as monomeric units of the nucleic acid polymers – deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), both of which are essential biomolecule ...

s, which made it very difficult to clone it for

. Using a form of gene editing known as codon-optimisation, MacLaren and members of his research team were able to engineer a stable version of RPGR that was expressed highly efficiently in an AAV vector. This led to the first gene therapy trial for X-linked

sponsored by Nightstar and with MacLaren as the surgeon.

Research

The Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (OxBRC) is, as evidenced by NIHR funding allocation, one of England and the UK's leading centres for medical research. It is sometimes styled 'Oxford (OUH) NIHR BRC' since the establishment of a second BRC in Oxford: the Oxford Health NIHR BRC. The OxBRC's ''NHS Host'' is the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, where Mr. MacLaren is a Consultant Ophthalmologist and its ''Academic Partner'' is the University of Oxford, where MacLaren is also Professor of Ophthalmology. Additionally, in 2016, the NIHR appointed MacLaren to be a senior investigator, or lead researcher, for the speciality of ophthalmology. Between March 2001 and April 2006, Dr. MacLaren was a Resident Clinical Research Fellow at the

NHS Trust An NHS trust is an organisational unit within the National Health Services of England and Wales, generally serving either a geographical area or a specialised function (such as an ambulance service). In any particular location there may be several ...

, in London. He was then a faculty member and a founding research-theme leader in the Moorfields – UCL Institute of Ophthalmology Biomedical Research Centre, which was then the specialist BRC for Ophthalmology. His current clinical and

laboratory A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physic ...

research efforts focus on the forms of

blindness Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment� ...

which are to date incurable. By understanding the causes of retinal degeneration, it may be possible to slow, arrest or ameliorate the processes. The ultimate aim is then to reverse such effects and to restore working vision. The

research Research is " creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...

efforts concentrate on two areas of the eye in particular: the

(RPE), and the photoreceptors. The NLO Clinical Ophthalmology Research Group ('the MacLaren Group') is looking at replacement methods for each, and for both, to improve patient outcomes. Electronic retinal implants have already been trialled to treat retinitis pigmentosa, and trials are now being conducted to treat choroideremia through gene-therapy: implanting missing or faulty genes to correct retinal dystrophies (inherited conditions). As well as retinal issues, research is undertaken to improve outcomes for conditions relating to the lens and to the optic nerve, such as improved intra-ocular lenses (IOL) for cataract operations and therapies for glaucoma.

Teaching

In addition to his other duties, MacLaren has a full programme of teaching and tutoring. He is formally qualified, with a Postgraduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (PGDipLATHE) from 2006. He has been a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since June 2003. As a Bodley Fellow – the active staff of the college – at Merton, since October 2007, he is a stipendiary lecturer in human anatomy. He has held weekly tutorials in medical sciences for undergraduates since 1992: anatomy, genetics and cell biology for Year 1, and neuroanatomy and visual neuroscience for year 2; third year FHS topics relate to gene therapy, stem cells or visual neuroscience. As a mentor at the Academy of Medical Sciences, he supervises clinical academics. He also supervises junior doctors training in ophthalmic surgery and DPhil research students.

Business

In 2014, with Oxford University, he co-founded the private

bio-technology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used by ...

company NightstaRx Ltd., also known Nightstar, in which he remains a director, and which is based at the offices of the

Wellcome Trust The Wellcome Trust is a charitable foundation focused on health research based in London, in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1936 with legacies from the pharmaceutical magnate Henry Wellcome (founder of one of the predecessors of Glaxo ...

in London. The technology spin-out was developed with Oxford Innovation, Ltd. and Syncona Ltd. and the clinical-stage company now is backed by Syncona, NEA venture capital and Oxford Science Equity-Management (OSEM). The company has received four rounds of funding, including its IPO on NASDAQ in September 2017.

Military

MacLaren was also a commissioned officer in ''Group A'' – the units intended for operational service – of the Territorial Army, now Army Reserve, of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

. As a qualified doctor, he served as a

Medical Officer A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

(MO) in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He achieved the rank of major before retiring from military service in 2012. MacLaren was posted to the

Honourable Artillery Company The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...

(HAC) and, in due course, became the Surgeon-Major: the Regimental Medical Officer (RMO). The term Surgeon-Major applied to all the unit's RMOs, most of whom were in

General Practice General practice is the name given in various nations, such as the United Kingdom, India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to the services provided by general practitioners. In some nations, such as the US, similar services may be describe ...

(GP), and it was coincidental that Major MacLaren was primarily an occupational surgeon. Major MacLaren also served as locum RMO to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, at Knightsbridge in London. In addition to serving as an RMO, Major MacLaren volunteered for an operational tour, in the former

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

, engaged in the field of

military medicine The term military medicine has a number of potential connotations. It may mean: *A medical specialty, specifically a branch of occupational medicine attending to the medical risks and needs (both preventive and interventional) of sold ...

, as part of 1st Mechanised Brigade, with case-work based more on occupational injury and

trauma medicine Trauma most often refers to: *Major trauma, in physical medicine, severe physical injury caused by an external source *Psychological trauma, a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event *Traumatic inju ...

, rather than disease and genetics. Having served as a member of the Volunteer Reserves for more than a decade, Major MacLaren, RAMC qualified for the

post-nominals Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, academic degree, accreditation, ...

: VR.

Family life

Robert MacLaren is married with three children: two boys and a girl. He is the grandson of the lawyer Robert Edwin Newbery MC, great-great grandson of the Victorian actor/playwright James Roland MacLaren and great-great-great grandson of the engineer Sampson Moore.

Honours and awards

(partial) *2005:

Royal Society of Medicine The Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) is a medical society in the United Kingdom, headquartered in London. History The Society was established in 1805 as Medical and Chirurgical Society of London, meeting in two rooms in barristers’ chamber ...

prize meeting in ophthalmology. *2005: Oxford Ophthalmological Congress Founder's Cup and medal. *2007:

(RCSEd) King James IV 'Professorship' – a surgery prize with the courtesy title of professor for a year: this award was the first to be designated for ophthalmology. *2013:

Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (abbreviated ARVO) is an American learned society dedicated to ophthalmology and other vision-related topics. As of 2019, it has almost 12,000 members from 75 different countries. It was est ...

(ARVO) Foundation for Eye Research: Pfizer Ophthalmics-sponsored award in memory of Dr. Carl B. Camras for work on

Translational Research Translational research (also called translation research, translational science, or, when the context is clear, simply translation) is research aimed at translating (converting) results in basic research into results that directly benefit humans. ...

(TR), or 'Pfizer Camras Transitional Research Award'. *2018: Fellowship of the

Academy of Medical Sciences The Academy of Medical Sciences is an organisation established in the UK in 1998. It is one of the four UK National Academies, the others being the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society. Its mission is to adv ...

Publications

(partial) ;Medical Textbook * ;Papers * * * ** ** **

Media

''press and broadcast articles on MacLaren or his work:'' (partial) *2011.10.28: BBC: gene therapy surgery – patient interview (PT: Mr. Jonathan Wyatt). (Pallab Ghosh – science) *2012.05.03: BBC: electronic retinal surgery – patient interview (PT: Mr. Chris James). (Fergus Walsh) *2012:gene therapy for blindness *2013.01.06: BBC: stem cell research – work on blind mice. (James Gallagher – health & science) *2014.01.15: Sky: gene therapy for blindness (Thomas Moore – health & science) *2014.01.16: BBC: gene therapy – patient interview (PT: Mr. Jonathan Wyatt). (Pallab Ghosh – science) *2014-01-31: EP Vantage: on Syncona's $20 M investment in NightstaRx. *2014-04-28: BioCentury: NightstaRx: correcting choroideremia. (Kai-Jye Lou) *2016-05-04: Leatherhead local press: gene therapy – patient interview, local school history-teacher (PT: Mr. Joe Pepper).https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/14470464.History-teacher-at-Leatherhead-school-has-vision-saved-by-revolutionary-gene-therapy-treatment/ (Craig Richard reporting on BBC's Pallab Ghosh interview)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:MacLaren, Robert 1966 births Alumni of the University of Oxford British surgeons British ophthalmologists 21st-century British medical doctors Royal Army Medical Corps officers Living people Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Fellows of Merton College, Oxford 20th-century British medical doctors Army Reserve (United Kingdom) Honourable Artillery Company officers People from Epsom People from Oxford 20th-century surgeons NIHR Senior Investigators