A leading American scientist in the field of stem cell research will deliver a prize-winning lecture at the University of Dundee on 22 May.

Professor Ronald McKay, of the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke, will be giving a lecture, entitled "Implementing the promise of stem cells in science and medicine" at the School of Life Sciences on Monday, May 22nd. He is visiting Scotland as the recipient of the 2006 Royal Society of Edinburgh Prize Lectureship of the Caledonian Research Foundation.

Professor McKay was the first to identify and grow stem cells from the nervous system and his work has shown the long-term potential for stem cell treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Dr Kate Storey, Principal Investigator in the Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, said, "It is an honour for the University to host the RSE Caledonian Research Foundation Lecture and that Professor McKay has chosen to present his lecture at Dundee. The School of Life Sciences is a leading centre for the study of developmental biology and his lecture is an indication of our strong international links."

Professor McKay obtained his BSc and PhD degrees from the University of Edinburgh and carried out postdoctoral work at the University of Oxford before moving to the USA to take up a senior position at the Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, NY, followed by a Professoriate position at MIT in Boston. Professor McKay is currently Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at NINDS. Throughout his career Professor McKay has received many awards of which the RSE Caledonian Research Foundation Lecture is the latest.

The Caledonian Research Foundation promotes international research in Scotland in a number of ways including its annual prize lectureship.

Lord Naren Patel, the incoming Chancellor of the University, will be among those attending the lecture. Lord Patel is Chairman of the UK Stem Cell Oversight Committee.

NOTES TO EDITORS.

Professor McKay will also be delivering the lecture in Edinburgh on May 24th.

For further information contact:

Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: 01382 384910
email: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk