Dr. Mary-Claire King is a preeminent geneticist whose pioneering work has fundamentally transformed our understanding of inherited diseases and human genetics. Currently serving as the American Cancer Society Professor in the Departments of Genome Sciences and Medicine at the University of Washington, she has held this distinguished position since 1995. Born in Chicago in 1946, she earned her BA in Mathematics from Carleton College in 1966 before obtaining her PhD in Genetics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1973. Following postdoctoral training at UC San Francisco, she established herself as a rising star during her tenure as Professor of Genetics and Epidemiology at UC Berkeley from 1976 to 1995, where she conducted groundbreaking research that would transform medical genetics.
Dr. King's most renowned contribution is her identification of BRCA1, the first gene associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, a discovery that revolutionized cancer prevention and treatment strategies for millions of women worldwide. She demonstrated that humans and chimpanzees share 99 percent genetic identity, establishing critical evolutionary connections between species that reshaped anthropological understanding. Her innovative application of genomic sequencing techniques to human rights investigations has provided crucial evidence for identifying victims of atrocities, notably helping reunite stolen children with their biological families in Argentina following the Dirty War. This dual focus on medical genetics and humanitarian applications has cemented her legacy as a scientist whose work bridges laboratory discovery with profound societal impact.
As a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society, Dr. King has shaped the trajectory of genetic research through her leadership and mentorship. She continues to pioneer new genomic approaches, recently developing SMRT-CATCH, a novel technique using genomic excision and sequencing to identify previously undetectable familial mutations. Her ongoing research spans complex disorders including schizophrenia, inherited hearing loss, and neurological conditions in children, maintaining her commitment to translating genetic discoveries into clinical applications. Dr. King's visionary approach, which she encourages in trainees by emphasizing the integration of biology with quantitative sciences, ensures her continued influence on the next generation of geneticists dedicated to unraveling the complexities of human health and disease.
