[visionlist] Vaegan seminar: Prof David Mackey (University of Tasmania)

[Juno Kim]

Dear vision scientists,

You’re invited to our first in-person Vaegan seminar for Term 2 of 2025 which will be presented by Prof David Mackey (University of Tasmania, Australia). David’s presentation is entitled “What colour are your eyes?” and will be a hybrid event held on zoom and in Room 102 Ainsworth Building @ UNSW Sydney (further details below).
Hope you can make it.
Best regards,
Juno

Title: What colour are your eyes?
Speaker: Prof David Mackey (University of Tasmania)
Time/Date: 1pm Friday 06 June 2025 (AEST - Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Location: 102 Ainsworth (LO-K-J17-102), UNSW Sydney, Kensington, NSW 2052.
Zoom: https://unsw.zoom.us/j/83408490281?pwd=ZBrkGkzgvD8xcokT2vaDzKvAlUjGSm.1
Abstract: Eye colour and colour perception are excellent examples to use when teaching genetics as they encompass not simply the basic Mendelian genetics of dominant, recessive and X-linked disorders, but also many of the new concepts such as non-allelic diseases, polygenic disease, phenocopies, genome-wide association study (GWAS), founder effects, gene-environment interaction, evolutionary drivers for variations, copy number variation, insertions deletions, methylation and gene inactivation. Beyond genetics, colour perception touches on concepts involving optics, physics, physiology and psychology and can capture the imagination of the population, as we saw with social media trend of “#the dress”. Television shows such as Game of Thrones focused attention on the eye colour of characters, as well as their Dire-wolves and Dragons. Similarly, one can look at the eye colour in the British Royal Family. These themes in popular culture can be leveraged as tools to teach and engage everyone in genetics, which is now a key component in all eye diseases. As the explosion of data from genomics, big data and artificial intelligence transforms medicine, ophthalmologists need to be genetically literate. Genetics is relevant, not just for Inherited Retinal Diseases and congenital abnormalities but also for the leading causes of blindness: age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, myopia, diabetic retinopathy and cataract. Genetics should be part of the armamentarium of every practicing eye care provider. We need to ask every patient about their family history. Soon, patients will attend eye clinics with genetic results showing they are at high risk of certain eye diseases and optometrists and ophthalmologists will need to know how to screen, follow and treat these patients.
Bio: Professor David Mackey AO MD FRANZCO FARVO FAHMS is a paediatric and genetic ophthalmologist. After completing his doctorate thesis on Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy in 1993, he started the Glaucoma Inheritance Study in Tasmania, seeing over 2,000 people with glaucoma and 3,000 of their relatives who are still being followed. He started the Twins Eye Study in Tasmania in 2000 and in 2009 when he moved to Perth started eye examinations in the Busselton Healthy Aging Study, The Raine Study and the ORIGINS project. He is past president of the International Society for Genetic Eye Disease and Retinoblastoma and current Vice President of the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.

Juno Kim | PhD (Psychology) | Professor
School of Optometry and Vision Science
UNSW MEDICINE AND HEALTH
UNSW SYDNEY NSW 2052 AUSTRALIA
E: juno.kim at unsw.edu.au<mailto:juno.kim at unsw.edu.au>  | T: +61 2 9065 1218
Skype: junokim39
CRICOS Provider Code 00098G

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