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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.

Michael Gottesman (Part I)

Michael Gottesman, M.D.’s resume includes the often-unacknowledged position he held from 1992-1993: acting director of the National Center for Human Genome Research (NCHGR). Originally skeptical of the Human Genome Project, his reputation as a cell geneticist with big picture perspective landed him the job. Currently, he is the deputy director for Intramural Research at the National Institutes of Health, as well as chief of the Laboratory of Cell Biology at the National Cancer Institute. In this oral history, Dr. Gottesman chronicles a tumultuous time at NCHGR (now called the National Human Genome Research Institute) from a multi-faceted perspective: clinician, researcher, and administrator.

Last updated: Ocotober 20, 2020