PITTSBURGH, July 27 – The scientist-entrepreneur who led efforts to map the first draft of the human genome as well as the complete diploid genome and to construct the first synthetic bacterium has been named this year's recipient of the University of Pittsburgh's Dickson Prize in Medicine.
J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., will accept Pitt School of Medicine's most prestigious honor during Science 2011: Next Gen, a showcase of the region's latest research in science, engineering, medicine and computation that will be held on Oct. 6 and 7 at Alumni Hall, Oakland.
"Dr. Venter's contributions as a scientist, researcher and entrepreneur are leading us into a new era of discovery and innovation," said Arthur S. Levine, M.D., Pitt's senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and dean, School of Medicine. "He is a next-generation thinker and I am delighted that he will be sharing his ideas with us in a plenary session at Science 2011."
On Thursday, Oct. 6 at 11 a.m., Dr. Venter will deliver the Dickson Prize in Medicine Lecture. In a talk titled "From Reading to Writing the Genetic Code," he will describe some of his team's best-known achievements: in 2001, they completed the first draft of the human genome, which was a composite of several individuals, and the first diploid human genome – Dr. Venter's own – in 2007. Last year, he and his team announced that they had constructed a synthetic organism that could replicate by inserting a computer-designed genome made of non-living material into bacterial cells.
Dr. Venter is a founder and president of the J. Craig Venter Institute and founder and CEO of Synthetic Genomics Inc. After returning from service in the Vietnam War, Dr. Venter attended the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), earning a bachelor's degree in biology in 1972 and a doctorate in pharmacology and physiology in 1975.
Other renowned researchers also will deliver plenary lectures at Science 2011:
Provost Lecture, 4 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 6
Mellon Lecture, 11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 7
Klaus Hofmann Lecture, 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7
In addition to highlighting the region's most promising biomedical research, Science 2011 will demonstrate how these projects can be a catalyst for regional economic development; foster collaboration among academic and industrial scientists; and promote the idea to the public that science can be interesting, exciting and fun.
All Science 2011 events and lectures will be free and open to the public, but registration is required. Follow this hyperlink for more information about Science 2011: Next Gen.
About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1997.
Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see www.medschool.pitt.edu .
Contact: Anita Srikameswaran
Phone: 412-578-9193
E-mail: SrikamAV@upmc.edu
Contact: Jennifer Yates
Phone: 412-647-9966
E-mail: YatesJC@upmc.edu