HPCGG Associate Director Dr. Christine Seidman Elected to National Academy of Sciences; Seidman and HPCGG work to incorporate human genetics into clinical care

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 26, 2005--The Harvard Medical School-Partners HealthCare Center for Genetics and Genomics (HPCGG) today announced that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has elected Dr. Christine Seidman to the Academy. Dr. Seidman, an associate director of HPCGG, is one of 72 esteemed members recently elected on May 3, 2005 in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original science.

"Dr. Seidman's election to the National Academy of Sciences is truly an honor and represents well-deserved recognition of her scientific achievements both at HPCGG and throughout her career," noted Dr. Raju Kucherlapati, scientific director of HPCGG. "One of two NAS members at our Center, Dr. Seidman's election embodies the caliber of our scientific leadership and research. Her work, along with that of her colleagues, is crucial to achieving HPCGG's mission of accelerating the realization of personalized medicine."

“The election to the Academy substantiates the research our group has been conducting on the role of genetics in cardiac disorders, and I am grateful to be in the company of such renowned researchers”

"The election to the Academy substantiates the research our group has been conducting on the role of genetics in cardiac disorders, and I am grateful to be in the company of such renowned researchers," said Dr. Seidman. "Because of our access to such a broad spectrum of patients and innovative research, we have made significant progress linking genetic mutations to known disorders, such as our recent findings surrounding myocardial glycogen metabolism."

Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded to a U.S. scientist or engineer. This new round of elections brings the total number of active members to 1,976.

Dr. Seidman is associate director of HPCGG; director of the Cardiovascular Genetics Service at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; and an investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Her research focuses on the study of cardiovascular genetics, deciphering which genes play a key role in the development and maintenance of a normal heart. Dr. Seidman's lab recently discovered a novel molecular mechanism for cardiac hypertrophy, mutations in genes that regulate myocardial glycogen metabolism. This class of human gene mutation accounts for unexplained cardiac hypertrophy that is sometimes massive and is associated with life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.

About the National Academy of Sciences

The Academy is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to furtherance of science and its use for the general welfare. It was established in 1863 by a congressional act of incorporation signed by Abraham Lincoln that calls on the Academy to act as an official advisor to the federal government, upon request, in any matter of science or technology.

About the Harvard/Partners Center for Genetics and Genomics

HPCGG is a joint enterprise between Harvard Medical School and Partners HealthCare System, dedicated to accelerating the realization of personalized medicine by discovering and integrating genetic knowledge as rapidly as possible into the practice of patient care. The Center combines world-class scientific talent with access to a population of over two million patients and their physicians, providing a continuum of resources and expertise to translate scientific discoveries into prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment of illnesses. HPCGG operates laboratory facilities and services to enable genetic study design, DNA sequencing, genotyping, proteomics, bioinformatics, and microarrays. It also operates full-service genetic clinics for patients with known or suspected genetic conditions. Through programs at Harvard Medical School and other academic institutions, the Center offers a variety of educational programs to train the next generation of healthcare practitioners and researchers.

For more information contact, please visit www.hpcgg.org.