Celebrating the DNA anniversary - Meet Dr. Francis Collins, human genome expert at Science Center

The St. Louis Science Center continues its celebration of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the double helix (DNA) with a special lecture by Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute on the Human Genome Project, Sun., Sept. 28, 2 pm at the Science Center, 5050 Oakland Ave. 

Collins, a physician-geneticist, oversees the 15-year project aimed at mapping and sequencing the entire human DNA.  While the original goal of the research group was to complete the mapping by 2005, the sequencing was completed ahead of schedule in April of this year. Collins' discussion will center around the completion of this process by his research team. 

Collins received his PhD in physical chemistry at Yale University and an MD from the Universtiy of North Carolina. Following a residency and chief residency in internal medicine in Chapel Hill, he returned to Yale for a fellowship in human genetics where he worked on methods of crossing large stretches of DNA to identify disease genes. This approach, for which he later coined the term "positional cloning," has devleoped into a powerful component of modern molecular genetics. 

Together with Lap-Chee Tsui and Jack Riordan of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, his research team identified the gene for cystic fibrosis. That was followed by his group's identification of the neurofibromatosis gene in 1990 and a successful collaborative effort to identify the gene for Huntington disease in 1993. 

Collins was elected to the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences. He has received numerous national and international awards. 

Collins will sign human genome posters following his talk. Families also can enjoy hands-on activities related to genetics and biotechnology in the Science Center galleries that day. The lecture is free, but reservations are recommended by calling 314/289-4464 or toll-free 800/456-SLSC, x4464.