MEMORANDUM
TO: Editors and Reporters
FROM: Marjorie Centofanti
410-955-8725
DATE: June 22, 2000
SUBJECT: Human Genome Project
Press reports suggest that after several years' competition, the public and private laboratories vying to create a working draft of the human genetic instructions -- the genome -- will jointly announce their progress on Monday.
Hopkins geneticists and other scientists anticipate a windfall of data that could greatly speed research.
The following Hopkins scientists should be available for comment and interviews:
-- Victor A. McKusick, M.D., one of the founding fathers of the genome project, is an internationally known expert on human genetic disease. He's also on Celera's board of advisors.
-- David Valle, M.D., of Hopkins and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, is an international expert on human genetic disease in general and specifically on the blinding genetic disorder called gyrate atrophy. His lab cloned the gene for the disease and showed what happens when it goes awry. Valle has been an advisor to NIH's leaders of the Human Genome Project.
-- Roger H. Reeves, Ph.D., is a respected molecular biologist, studying human development, specifically how genes and the chromosomes that carry them "misfire" in Down Syndrome. He's a good, articulate example of a bench scientist whose work can profit greatly from genome research.
-- Neil A. Holtzman, M.D., is expert in ethical issues that surround genetics and genetic-based therapy.
To interview any of these Hopkins experts, call or e-mail Marjorie Centofanti, 410-955-8725 [email protected]
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