MaryClaire King Receives Princess of Asturias Award for Groundbreaking Contributions to Genetics and Human Rights
American geneticist MaryClaire King has been honored with the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research. This accolade highlights Dr. King's revolutionary contributions to genetics, particularly in understanding and preventing cancer, as well as her efforts in human rights advocacy.
Dr. King's pioneering research has established a definitive link between a specific gene and the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, ultimately saving millions of lives. Her studies also revealed the profound genetic similarity between humans and chimpanzees, emphasizing the evolutionary connections shared among species. The jury for the award praised her work not only for its scientific significance but for its implications in human rights as well.
A graduate in Mathematics from Carleton College, Minnesota, in 1966, Dr. King later obtained her doctorate in Genetics from the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied under the guidance of Allan Wilson. Her postdoctoral research took her to the University of San Francisco, after which she returned to Berkeley as a professor in Genetics and Epidemiology until 1995. Following her tenure at Berkeley, she joined the American Cancer Society at the University of Washington in Seattle, where she remains an influential figure, also affiliated with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
Dr. King's doctoral research laid the groundwork for acknowledging the close genetic proximity between humans and chimpanzees, utilizing statistical analyses that affirmed their shared evolutionary heritage. In 1974, she commenced her investigation into the origins of breast cancer which culminated in a groundbreaking discovery in 1990; she identified the BRCA1 gene located on chromosome 17. This gene is critical as mutations within it have been linked to specific types of breast and ovarian cancer, signifying a paradigm shift in understanding cancer's genetic underpinnings and enhancing treatment approaches.
Additionally, Dr. King has made significant contributions to the field of human rights. She has championed the use of genetic research to identify the missing victims of political violence, particularly following the Argentine dictatorship. Working alongside the Argentine Grandmothers of the Disappeared, Dr. King was instrumental in establishing the National Genetic Data Bank in Argentina, a pioneering initiative for systematically preserving genetic information for future identifications. Her efforts have led to the successful identification and family reunification of 138 families, showcasing the profound impact of her work on society.
More recently, Dr. King has contributed valuable insights into the genetic basis of schizophrenia, providing evidence that the disorder may stem from de novo mutations—changes in the DNA sequence that arise for the first time in an individual and are not inherited from previous generations. This groundbreaking work has implications for understanding the neurological underpinnings of mental health disorders.
Dr. King’s prestigious accolades include honorary doctorates from over twenty universities worldwide, recognition from the National Academy of Medicine, and her presidency of the American Society of Human Genetics in 2012. She has held prominent roles in public health institutions, including the National Cancer Institute and the World Health Organization's Scientific Advisory Council.
Her numerous awards reflect her exceptional contributions to science, including the Medal from the University of California in 2004, the Women and Science Award from the Weizmann Institute in 2006, the Lasker-Koshland Medical Research Award in 2014, and the National Medal of Sciences in 2016, among many others. Dr. King's impact not only advances the scientific community but also resonates deeply in the realms of social justice and human rights.
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