University professor honoured

PROFESSOR Irwin McLean from the University of Dundee, one of t he world’s l eading authorities on skin diseases, has been elected as a member of the Academia Europaea.

Formed i n 1988, the prestigious organisation comprises scientists and scholars from across Europe who are collectively aiming to promote learning, education and research.

The professor said he was “delighted” and “honoured” to be one of the 3,000-plus members of Academia Europaea.

During his 25 years working as a professor of human genetics, his work has gained recognition by the UK Government’s research assessment process for its extraordinary impact on society in general and medicine i n particular.

Professor McLean thanked the university and participants who face both common and rare skin diseases.

He said: “I am very grateful to my many colleagues and collaborators and, importantly, t he many patients and families affected by both rare and common skin conditions, without whose participation we would not have been able to make our mark in the dermatology field.

“I am especially grateful to the University of Dundee for providing us with the world-class research environment.

“We are now working hard to translate the deep understanding we have accumulated on the causes of skin diseases.”