▁father ▁was ▁a ▁photograph er , ▁which ▁prompt ed ▁an ▁early ▁interest ▁in ▁opt ics . ▁Mac L aren ▁was ▁educated ▁and ▁trained ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Edinburgh ▁Medical ▁School , ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁where ▁he ▁graduated ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Medicine ▁( MB ) ▁and ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁S urg ery ▁( Ch B ). ▁Dr . ▁Mac L aren ▁then ▁earned ▁an ▁academic ▁doctor ate , ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford , ▁where ▁the ▁Ph D ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁D Ph il . ▁The ▁doctor ate ▁was ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁on ▁opt ic - ner ve ▁reg ener ation . ▁As ▁an ▁under grad uate , ▁he ▁also ▁attended ▁courses ▁at ▁Y ale ▁University , ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁O ph th alm ology ▁Mac L aren ▁was ▁appointed ▁Professor ▁of ▁O ph th alm ology ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁In ▁February ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁Honor ary ▁Professor ▁of ▁O ph th alm ology ▁at ▁the ▁U CL ▁Institute ▁of ▁O ph th alm ology . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁Fellow ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁College ▁of ▁O ph th alm olog ists ▁( FR CO ph th ) ▁since ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁Mac L aren ▁is ▁a ▁professor ▁in ▁the ▁N uff ield ▁Labor