John McAvoy

Professor John McAvoy serves as Professor of Experimental Ophthalmology in the Discipline of Clinical Ophthalmology and Eye Health at the University of Sydney, affiliated with the Save Sight Institute within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. He holds the title of Sydney Medical Foundation Professor of Ophthalmology and possesses a PhD. His career at the University of Sydney has focused on laboratory research in vision science, particularly the molecular biology, development, and pathology of the ocular lens. McAvoy heads laboratory research at the Save Sight Institute and is recognized as a notable university member since 2019. He is also a Fellow of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (FARVO).

McAvoy's research specializations encompass mechanisms of lens development, growth factor signaling such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and Wnt/Frizzled pathways in lens fiber cell differentiation and elongation, planar cell polarity in the mammalian eye lens, and the role of primary cilia and PCP proteins in lens development with implications for regeneration. Key publications include 'Planar cell polarity in the mammalian eye lens' (2011), 'Wnt-Frizzled Signaling Is Part of an FGF-Induced Cascade that Differentiates Lens Fiber Cells' (2013), 'Intrinsic and extrinsic regulatory mechanisms are required to form the mouse lens transition zone' (2017), 'Fibroblast Growth Factor-induced lens fiber cell elongation is driven by oriented cell division and intercalation' (2023), and contributions to the chapter on lens in 'Ocular and Visual Physiology: Clinical Application' (2016). He has secured funded research grants, including support for laboratory research at the Save Sight Institute and projects on primary cilia in lens development. McAvoy's pioneering contributions to crystalline lens research have influenced the field, providing foundational opportunities for numerous PhD students and collaborators investigating cataract pathology and lens regeneration.

Professional Email: john.mcavoy@sydney.edu.au