Elizabeth Rakoczy

Elizabeth P. Rakoczy (née Piroska E. Szepessy) is a Hungarian-born molecular ophthalmologist. She is a professor at the University of Western Australia. She started the molecular ophthalmology department at the Lions Eye Institute. In 2017, Rakoczy was awarded the Florey Medal for her human gene therapy trial to modify viruses for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.

Career

Rakoczy was born is Miskolc, Hungary. She started the Department of Molecular Ophthalmology at the Lions Eye Institute[1] and Professor of Molecular Ophthalmology at the University of Western Australia.[2] She was the Research Director of the Lions Eye Institute and the Centre of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences between 1999-2009. Rakoczy's research focuses on gene therapy and animal model development. Her laboratory developed and sold the ’Kimba’ and ‘Akimba’ mouse models for advanced retinal neovascularization. She pioneered secretion gene therapy or ‘biofactory’ for the treatment of wet age related macular degeneration.[3][4][5] In 2011 it was licensed to Avalanche Biotechnologies Inc., (now Adverum Biotechnologies),[6] which used the technology to raise ~$300 Million. Rakoczy has published more than 180 scientific papers[7] in academic journals[4] and several patents.

Awards and honors

Rakoczy was a Bede Morris fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 1998 and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia ‘Ten of the Best’ award winner in 2005 and winner of the CSL Florey Medal in 2017 for her human gene therapy trial modifying viruses to treat wet age-related macular degeneration.[8][9]

Personal life

She is married and has two children.[10][11]

References
  1. "Research Centre - Lions Eye Institute". Lions Eye Institute. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  2. "Socrates: Research Management Application". www.socrates.uwa.edu.au. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  3. Elizabeth Rakoczy (18 March 2015), Explaining gene therapy for wet AMD, retrieved 31 May 2018
  4. Rakoczy, Elizabeth P; Lai, Chooi-May; Magno, Aaron L; Wikstrom, Matthew E; French, Martyn A; Pierce, Cora M; Schwartz, Steven D; Blumenkranz, Mark S; Chalberg, Thomas W (May 2015). "Gene therapy with recombinant adeno-associated vectors for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: 1 year follow-up of a phase 1 randomised clinical trial". The Lancet. 386 (10011): 2395–2403. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00345-1. PMID 26431823. S2CID 27939034.
  5. Constable, Ian J.; Pierce, Cora M.; Lai, Chooi-May; Magno, Aaron L.; Degli-Esposti, Mariapia A.; French, Martyn A.; McAllister, Ian L.; Butler, Steve; Barone, Samuel B. (10 November 2016). "Phase 2a Randomized Clinical Trial: Safety and Post Hoc Analysis of Subretinal rAAV.sFLT-1 for Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration". EBioMedicine. 14: 168–175. doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2016.11.016. PMC 5161436. PMID 27865764.
  6. "Home - Adverum Biotechnologies". Adverum Biotechnologies. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  7. PhD, Piroska Elizabeth RakoczyUniversity of Western Australia | UWA · Lions Eye Institute 40 88 ·. "Piroska Elizabeth Rakoczy | PhD | University of Western Australia, Perth | UWA | Lions Eye Institute". ResearchGate. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  8. "CSL Florey Medal - AIPS". AIPS. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  9. "Researcher who uses viruses for good wins CSL Florey Medal". Radio National. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  10. "Fenix II ARC - Liz/Steve Rakoczy". blog.mailasail.com. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  11. "Austin Macauley Publishers || Books, eBooks & audiobooks". www.austinmacauley.com. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
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