On October27, The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) announced that four outstanding members of Congress will receive ASHG’s Public Service Award in recognition of their extraordinary leadership on the Senate and House Appropriations Committees and their dedication to advancing biomedical research funding, including transformative and novel applications of human genetics and genomics research. The leaders will be honored as part of the ASHG 2023 Annual Meeting taking place November 1-5 in Washington, D.C., and in recognition of the Society’s 75th anniversary. The four individuals receiving the Public Service Award for their dedication to research funding are:
- U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
- U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)
- U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX-12)
- U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03)
“Now, more than ever, biomedical research is driving new understanding of disease and producing new ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat disorders that affect millions of Americans,” said ASHG President Brendan Lee, MD, PhD. “This progress for the American people is not possible without robust and sustained federal investment. These four Public Service Award recipients exemplify the bipartisan leadership and support required to address the most pressing health challenges of today, and their work continues a longstanding legacy of bipartisan Congressional commitment to research. ASHG is honored to thank them for their leadership,” he said.
Dr. Lee noted that in addition to health benefits, biomedical research is a major driver of economic growth nationally, regionally, and locally. A 2020 ASHG study highlighted the extraordinary economic impact of genomics research and its importance for America’s innovation agenda. It found that, in 2019, genetics and genomics research contributed $265 billion to the U.S. economy and is profoundly shaping major areas of future innovation in science and health. Moreover, public opinion research has found that the U.S. public is widely hopeful, curious, amazed, and optimistic about novel genetic research for health.
“We are especially grateful for the support these Members have provided for biomedical research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH),” Dr. Lee said. “As leaders in both houses, they have consistently worked to increase NIH’s budget by $17 billion over the last eight years, including an increase of $2.5 billion in FY 2023. Thanks to their work and steadfast support, this critical research continues to grow in its reach and implications.”
ASHG will acknowledge all the Public Service Award winners during an evening plenary session on November 2 at the ASHG 2023 Annual Meeting.