Human Molecular Genetics Tapa dura - 2003

Professors Tom Strachan & Andrew Read awarded the Education Award 2007 of the ESHG for their outstanding contribution to the dispersal of knowledge of modern human molecular genetics among students and professionals.

Tom Strachan is Scientific Director of the Institute of Human Genetics and Professor of Human Molecular Genetics at the University of Newcastle. Tom's early research interests were in multigene family evolution and interlocus sequence exchange, notably in the HLA and 21-hydroxylase gene clusters. While pursuing the latter, he became interested in medical genetics and disorders of development. His most recent research has been on the molecular genetics of early mammalian development, and focuses on building an electronic atlas of gene expression in early human development and investigating the function of inversin, a major determinant of the left-right axis.

Andrew Read is a Professor of Human Genetics at Manchester University. Andrew has been particularly concerned with making the benefits of DNA technology available to people with genetic problems. He established one of the first DNA diagnostic laboratories in the UK over 20 years ago (it is now one of two National Genetics Reference Laboratories), and was founder chairman of the British Society for Human Genetics, the main professional body in this area. His own research is on the molecular pathology of various hereditary syndromes, especially hereditary hearing loss.