Is Haig H. Kazazian, Jr. Living or Dead?

About Haig H. Kazazian, Jr.

Haig H. Kazazian, Jr. is a pioneering geneticist whose work has had a profound impact on our understanding of human genetics. Born on July 30, 1937, Kazazian grew up in a family of Armenian immigrants in Boston, Massachusetts. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 1959 and went on to earn his medical degree from Yale University in 1963.

Kazazian's early work focused on the genetics of hemophilia, a bleeding disorder that is caused by a deficiency in clotting factors. He discovered that hemophilia is caused by mutations in the genes that code for these clotting factors, paving the way for the development of new treatments for the disease.

In the 1980s, Kazazian turned his attention to the study of transposable elements, or "jumping genes," which are pieces of DNA that can move around the genome. He discovered that these elements play a key role in shaping the human genome and can cause genetic diseases when they insert themselves into the wrong place.

Kazazian's work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the William Allan Award from the American Society of Human Genetics and the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has served as president of the American Society of Human Genetics.

Today, Kazazian continues to work as a professor of genetics at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in the field of human genetics. His groundbreaking research has helped to unlock the secrets of the human genome and has paved the way for new treatments for genetic diseases.

References:

- "Haig H. Kazazian, Jr." University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. https://www.med.upenn.edu/apps/faculty/index.php/g275/p8046

- "Haig H. Kazazian, Jr." National Academy of Sciences. https://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/members/20001051.html

- "Haig H. Kazazian, Jr." American Society of Human Genetics. https://www.ashg.org/membership/awards/2011-william-allan-award-haig-h-kazazian-jr/