The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) has honored Peter H. Byers, MD, as the 2020 recipient of the Victor A. McKusick Leadership Award (https://www.ashg.org/membership/awards/mckusick/). Dr. Byers is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Department of Medicine (Division of Medical Genetics) at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, where he has spent his entire academic career (fellow in Medical Genetics and then a member of the faculty since 1977). This award, which includes a plaque with a $10,000 prize, is named in honor of the late Victor A. McKusick, MD, the so-called “Father of Medical Genetics,” and is bestowed upon an individual who has exhibited exemplary leadership and vision in advancing the ASHG mission through the promotion and successful assimilation of genetics and genomics knowledge into the broader scientific community in areas ranging from science, medicine, public policy, and/or health. “The Society recognizes the importance of Dr. Peter Byers’ creative research on the molecular pathogenesis of inherited disorders of connective tissue and its illumination of potential paths forward for understanding and treating disorders that affect collagen genes and the enzymes involved in the post-translational modification of collagens,” said ASHG President Anthony Wynshaw-Boris, MD, PhD., Chair of the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “In addition, we recognize Dr. Byers’s leadership in nearly all facets of the American Society of Human Genetics, including as Editor of The American Journal of Human Genetics and as President of our Society.Login Or Register To Read Full Story