The Dept. Medical Technology and Physics at Sir Charlies Gairdner Hospital in Western Australia is currently seeking DNA donors to assist in research of genetic eye diseases.

"As part of the WA Inherited Retinal Disease Family Testing Program, our research team is currently collecting DNA from families affected by Stargardt's disease (amongst others). Our research is funded by the WA Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation and our aim is to identify disease causing mutations in the WA (and Australian) population using the ABCR chip (ASPER Ophthalmics). All DNA is stored in the WADNA Bank and we hope to make this DNA available to other researchers nation-wide, thereby expediting research into Stargardt's disease. Obviously, the DNA will be linked only to a number to maintain confidentiality of research participants. I have attached the text from our information brochure. If you think families may be interested in our research, please reply via email or phone 08 9346 3586. I look forward ot hearing from you."

Contact:

Tina Lamey (Senior Research Officer)
IRD Family Testing Programme
Dept. Medical Technology and Physics
Sir Charlies Gairdner Hospital
+61 08 9346 1376

tina.lamey@health.wa.gov.au