Penn’s Basser Research Center for BRCA awarded the second annual Basser Global Prize to human genetics researcher and expert Mary-Claire King, the American Cancer Society Research Professor of Genetics and Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. King is a pioneer in the development of experimental and bioinformatics genomics tools to study common, complex human diseases and health conditions. As part of the award, she gave the keynote address at the Center’s annual symposium in May. She received $200,000 in unrestricted support of her BRCA1/2-related research efforts, the Basser Trophy and a personal $10,000 cash prize.

In 1990, Dr. King demonstrated that a single gene on chromosome 17q21, which she named BRCA1, was responsible for breast and ovarian cancer in many families. Her discovery of BRCA1 revolutionized the study of numerous other common inherited diseases. Dr. King’s current research focuses on identifying and characterizing critical genes—and their interaction with environmental influences—that play a role in the development of conditions such as breast and ovarian cancer, schizophrenia and hearing loss.