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Dr Martin Tobin, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Genetic Epidemiology in the Department of Health Sciences and the Department of Genetics.

Genetics and disease

2009 Frank May Prize Lecture on Wednesday 13th May at University of Leicester

Issued on 06 May 2009

A University of Leicester clinical scientist will explain new advances in the study of genetics and disease at the 2009 Frank May Prize Lecture on Wednesday 13th May at 5.30pm.

In his lecture entitled, ‘Common Genetic Variation: what can it tell us about human health and disease?’ Dr Martin Tobin will describe the progress and findings of some recent and ongoing major genetic studies, including the research of international consortia studying blood pressure and lung disease. He will also discuss the implications of the findings emerging from these studies.

A sequence of 3 billion chemical base pairs makes up the DNA of the human genome. It is now possible to scan the sequence variation across the whole genome in study participants. Scientists can study the relationship between this variation in sequence and the risk of common diseases.

Dr Tobin commented: “The causes of common diseases, such as high blood pressure and chronic bronchitis, are incompletely understood. In my lecture I will describe how the study of genetic variation can inform our understanding of these disorders, and point to new ways of preventing and treating such diseases.”

Dr Martin Tobin is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in Genetic Epidemiology in the Department of Health Sciences and the Department of Genetics at the University of Leicester, and an Honorary Consultant in Public Health in Leicester City Primary Care Trust.

He was awarded a four-year Clinician Scientist Fellowship by the Medical Research Council in 2007. He co-leads an international consortium for the study of lung function genomics and has recently taken a key role in several major genome-wide association studies.

The lecture will take place in the Frank and Katherine May Lecture Theatre in the Henry Wellcome Building, Lancaster Road, Leicester on Wednesday 13th May at 5.30pm.

It is open to the public and free of charge. For more information, or to reserve a seat, please contact Linda Duncan, email Linda.duncan@le.ac.uk.

The Frank May Prize Lecture was established in 1991, endowed by the generosity of Dr Frank May, and is delivered annually by a member of the Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences.

The annual Prize Lecture alternates between clinical and non-clinical members of the Faculty but the area of research must be medically related. There is a selection process for nominated candidates and the successful applicant is chosen based on evidence of research excellence during the previous two years and evidence of outstanding promise for the future.

Notes to Editors: For more information on this please contact Linda Duncan, email Linda.duncan@le.ac.uk, tel 0116 252 2962.