Dr Jessica K. Mountford received her PhD from Monash University, Melbourne, in 2012. Following two post-doctoral appointments at the University of Western Australia, Perth, Dr Mountford is currently the 6th Brian King Fellow at the Lions Eye Institute in Perth. With Adjunct Research Fellow appointments held at La Trobe University in Melbourne, and the University of Western Australia. Her research involves investigating the role of genetics and environmental contributors in the development of early-onset myopia (short-sightedness), with a particular interest in how COVID-19 lockdowns are influencing a growing prevalence of myopia in children. Furthermore, Dr Mountford is working with zebrafish to help elucidate some of the complex gene-environment interactions responsible for the development of myopia. Her research is funded by a Western Australian Near-miss Award, Telethon 7, Australian Vision Research, Perpetual Philanthropy Program, The Lions Save Sight Foundation W.A and the Lions Eye Institute. Other interests include evolutionary genetics, visual and non-visual opsin and light detection and platelet biology.

• Research Officer, Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences, Monash University (May 2012- December 2013).
• Post-doctoral Researcher, Neuroecology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia (Jan 2013-July 2017). 

• Primary Honours supervisor for UWA School of Biomedical Sciences (2022). 
• Practical Class Demonstrator, Molecular Microbiology, Monash University (3rd year BMS) (2009).
• Practical Class Demonstrator, Human Pathology, Monash University (3rd year BMS) (2008-2009).
• Practical Class Demonstrator, Immunology, Monash University (3rd year BMS) (2007).

Investigating the genetic and environmental causes of early-onset myopia (short-sightedness) in zebrafish models of refractive error.