Professor Andrew Lotery MD, FRCOphth
Professor of Ophthalmology, Director, Clinical Neurosciences Research Group, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine,Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust,Research Director for Gift of Sight Appeal (www.giftofsight.org.uk)
Professor Andrew Lotery is Professor of Ophthalmology within Medicine at the University of Southampton. As a clinician scientist his research is driven by interactions with patients. He works from bench to bedside using laboratory techniques such as molecular genetics and cell biology to study common causes of blindness such as age related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma. His laboratory work is complemented with clinical trials undertaken in Southampton Eye Unit.
Why do people go blind and how can we prevent this? Eye clinics are the busiest they’ve ever been
He is best known for his genetics research in retinal diseases. He has identified the genetic determinants of retinal diseases and helped to translate these into new therapies such as complement inhibitors for the commonest cause of blindness, age related macular degeneration (AMD). His innovative research in macular disease was recognised internationally by his 2004 election to the United States Macula Society. He is one of the top UK clinician scientists in eye disease as demonstrated by his election as an NIHR senior investigator in 2008 and The Times listing him in their 2010 Top 100 Doctors list. His influential research was recognised by the Royal College of Ophthalmology (RCOphth) who awarded him the Nettleship medal in 2009 for his Lancet paper on AMD genetics. He received the 2012 special award for excellence from the Macular Disease Society and the 2014 University Hospital Southampton Innovation Award and he is the former President of the of the Southern Ophthalmological Society.
In influencing policy to improve health and wealth, Andrew has beena member of the Department of Transport’s honorary medical advisory panel on driving and visual disorders since 2013. He has acted as a nominated clinical expert to The National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence (NICE) technology appraisal panels that have resulted in major changes in management of AMD and vitreo-macular traction.
As co-chair of the RCOphth academic committee, he initiated co-funded clinical training fellowships with the MRC. Andrew is specialty lead for the Wessex Clinical Research Network spearheading a major increase in clinical trials in Wessex over the last 5 years. He has contributed significant AMD samples to an international effort to find novel genetic determinants for AMD. This has resulted in over 20 novel genes been identified.
Research interests
Andrew is interested in understanding the molecular basis of ophthalmic diseases. His University laboratory identifies genetic determinants of eye disease and studies defined mutations in patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells. New therapeutic approaches are also being explored such as gene therapy and retinal cell transplantation. He also leads a dynamic clinical trials team which has participated in many landmark clinical trials developing new treatments for both common conditions such as age related macular degeneration and also rare conditions such as choroideremia. None of this would be possible without the financial support of the Gift of Sight Appeal.
Qualifications
MB BCh BAO, Medicine, Queen’s University, Belfast (1989)
FRCOphth, Ophthalmology, Royal College of Ophthalmology (1994)
MD, Molecular genetics, Queen’s University, Belfast (1997)
Appointments held
2002 - present Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Southampton
2000 – 2002 Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
1998 – 2000 Fellow in medical retina and molecular ophthalmology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, USA
1996 – 1998 Specialist Registrar in Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast
1995 – 1996 Research Registrar (Ophthalmology and Medical Genetics), Belfast City Hospital
