Geneticist Mary Claire King He was awarded Princess Asturias of Scientific and Technical Research Prize for their contribution to the field of genetics. This is a message that resonates in dozens of Spanish headings this morning. And we can be curious, because perhaps your name seems unknown. However, the study conducted by this scientist both in the field Evolutionary biology, like in Breast cancer examinationThis is as well known as necessary.
Interestingly, Mary-Claire King-King is not a biologist, but mathematics. It was her knowledge in statistics that helped her to tell about the studies of the evolution of man, which were carried out until the 70s of the last century. His first great milestone was in this area; But later, it was his conclusions in the area of breast cancer that the Princess Asturia Awards, which he received today.
It should be said that both with its conclusions in evolutionary biology and such related to breast cancer This was not seriously transferred seriouslyA field in a world of men revealed the results, completely against the beliefs of that time. But how necessary are these reasonable results and why not? How many were those who did not take it seriously.
Mary Claire King, from mathematics to evolutionary genetics
Mary Claire King was born in 1947, not far from Chicago, and she was only 19 years old when she had already completed mathematics with qualifications With honorsSince then, its achievements have been engaged in each other’s talus.
Shortly after graduation, he went through several genetic courses that made her fall in love with this discipline. Therefore, he contacted the fact that he would later be his director of the dissertation, Allan WilsonHe was very interested in the field in his knowledge in statistics, as they can be very useful for continuing the study that he began. The investigation, with the help of which he intended to demonstrate that people are genetically genetically closer to the chimpanzee of what was still considered. Mary joined him, and in 1973 his doctoral degree ended, in which he showed that this similarity was huge. In fact, 99 % of our DNA are identical.
Scientists who studied human evolution at that time were very skeptical with this discovery. They did not believe that two, in the visible, different species had such a level of genetic similarity. However, over time, new studies were conducted, which showed that, indeed, it was correct.
Radical changes: why is breast cancer concentrated on some families?
Just a year after the doctor, Mary Claire King contacted Nicholas PetrakisA geneticist who investigated why breast cancer is so common in some families. It seemed that there should be genetic reasons, but which ones?
Mary again suggested that his knowledge in statistics could be useful. Petrakis agreed and accepted it in his research group. An investigation that before this was almost stagnant Opening of the BRCA1 gene Mary Claire King. She showed that several mutations in this genome, Located on chromosome 17They can be responsible for the development of breast cancer. That is why this is so inherited.
Mary again stumbled upon a wall of skepticism. Many scientists do this made several mistakes in his statistical calculationsThey did not believe the field that one gene could apply so much chaos. Nevertheless, the current winner of the Princess Asturia Award continued to clarify its method, which was used to obtain other similar results. The connection with the breast and ovary of another gene was discovered BRCA2. As well as withAnd he discovered the genetic cause of diseases such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington disease.
Today their conclusions are necessary for many reasons. For example, people who carry Cyclecidosis gene They can choose embryos by preimplantation genetic diagnosis so as not to have children with the disease. In addition, those patients who discover that they have one of the two mutated BRCA genes can make decisions about it from more continuous reviews to double mastctomy, similar to the one that was made for this reason Angelina JolieThe field is without a doubt, Mary Claire King-General deserving Princess Asturia Awards. But the best thing is that his work to create a world does not end here better.
Activist aspect of Mary-Claire Cyrus
In 1984, Mary Claire King Grandmothers Plaza -de -Mayo contacted him. This is a civilian organization of Argentinean women who were looking for children who were stolen during the dictatorship of Sawa, usually after the murder of their mothers.
Thanks to their knowledge of genetics, Mary was able to identify many of these children and gather them again with her families.
Another woman in a short list of the winners of Princess Asturia de -Nauaks
As a Nobel Prize, Princess Asturia of Scientific and Technical Research has a long history Men are the victoriousThe field is much newer than the Swedish reward. He began to deliver in 1981, and then as a prince of Asturia. Since then, the prize has been awarded in the category of science 102 people and research group. Atapierka, in particular.
Of these 102 people, Only 13 were womenKing Mary Claire was this thirteenth winter. The first was Jane Gudal, in 2003. 22 years after the awards began to be received. It is clear that there is discrimination, which, at least in this case, gradually decides. Will they do the same time with Nobel awards? I hope that they will give the same example as Catalina Kariko and Mary Claire Kin The next Nobel Prize for Medicine.
Source: Hiper Textual
