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30th Anniversary of the Human Genome Project

Interviews with genomics leaders

October 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the Human Genome Project (HGP). To commemorate this historic milestone, NHGRI’s History of Genomics Program is featuring 30 oral history interviews with prominent genomics experts relevant to the HGP and the broader field of genomics. This collection includes interviews with HGP architects, government officials who managed the HGP and researchers who actively contributed to the HGP’s success. We will feature one oral history per week for 30 consecutive weeks, culminating on Oct. 1, 2020.

Karen Rothenberg

Karen H. Rothenberg, JD, MPA is a professor at the Johns Hopkins Institute of Bioethics and the Marjorie Cook Professor of Law at University of Maryland. She is currently a guest researcher for NHGRI’s Bioethics Core and was previously the Senior Advisor to the Director on Genomics & Society. In this fascinating oral history, Karen Rothenberg recalls how she became passionate about health law and women’s health, and her experience taking sabbatical from University of Maryland School of Law to be a Health Law and Policy Consultant for the National Institute for Child Health & Human Development. She also recounts how she began awareness about prenatal genetic testing with Elizabeth Thompson, and shares her favorite stories about Francis Collins.

Last updated: Ocotober 20, 2020