VICTOR A. McKUSICK, Med 1946, widely recognized as the father of medical genetics, spent his entire career at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Peers credit him with almost singlehandedly introducing and demonstrating the importance of genetics in the practice of medicine. He became the first to describe the cluster of characteristics of Marfan syndrome, an inherited connective tissue disease. A key architect of the Human Genome Project and winner of the 2003 National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest scientific prize, the 1997 Lasker Award for Special Achievement in Medical Science, and numerous other honors, Dr. McKusick was perhaps best known for his multi-volume compendium of genetic disorders and genetic factors in disease. Known worldwide as “McKusick’s Catalogue,” now in its 12th edition, it is considered an essential tool of the medical geneticist. It can be found online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/omim/. In 2004 the Victor A. McKusick Professorship in Medicine and Genetics was established in his honor. Dr. McKusick died in 2008. (Dr. McKusick is pictured here, with chairholder Harry Dietz to his right.)
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Victor A. McKusick Professorship in Medicine & Genetics
School of Medicine
Established in 2004 , and based in the Department of Medicine and in the Institute of Genetic Medicine, funded through commitments made by Alan and Kathryn Greenberg, Lily Safra, The Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg, and cardiologist Stephen C. Achuff, among other donors, in honor of Victor A. McKusick
Held by Harry C. Dietz III
HARRY C. DIETZ III, the inaugural Victor A. McKusick Professor of Medicine and Genetics, has been associated with The Johns Hopkins Hospital since 1988. Dr. Dietz is the world’s authority on Marfan syndrome and received the Antoine Marfan Award from the National Marfan Foundation in 1994. He directs the Smilow Center for Marfan Syndrome Research at Hopkins. Dr. Dietz also investigates genetic factors involved in defects of the arterial wall and the aorta.