Douglas Cecil Wallace - Genetics

Professor Douglas Cecil Wallace  (born November 6, 1946) is a world-renowned American geneticist and evolutionary biologist considered to be the pioneer of mitochondrial genetics. He has made major discoveries in the health sciences, particularly in the genetics of mitochondrial diseases. He is the author of more than 450 scientific publications in leading journals and reference works.

He is a scientist at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Centre for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, USA. 

His academic career is exemplary, having studied at some of America's leading universities, including Cornell University; Yale University, where he obtained his PhD; Stanford University; Emory University; the University of California, Irvine; and currently Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. 

He has received the most prestigious international awards and distinctions, and he is also a member of the leading science academies in the USA. He has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences since 2004 and the National Academy of Sciences since 2009. He has also been awarded the most prestigious scientific prizes, including the William Allan Prize and the Gruber Prize. 

Throughout his career, he has made numerous groundbreaking discoveries in the field of mitochondrial genetics. He has identified mutations in mtDNA that are associated with a wide range of disorders, including Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), mitochondrial myopathies, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Prof. Wallace's research has not only deepened our understanding of the genetic basis of these diseases but also paved the way for the development of novel diagnostic tools and potential treatments. His work has had a profound impact on the fields of genetics, medicine, and evolutionary biology.

Douglas Cecil Wallace's legacy continues to inspire scientists around the world to explore the intricate workings of the mitochondrial genome and its implications for human health and disease. His pioneering research has laid the groundwork for future advancements in mitochondrial genetics and has left an indelible mark on the field of genetics as a whole.

Awards and distinctions 

• 1994 William Allan Prize (American Society of Human Genetics)
• 2004 Member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences
• 2000 Passano Prize
• 2000 Metropolitan Life Foundation Award
• 2006 Pasarow Award for Cardiovascular Disease
• 2009 Member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences
• 2012 Gruber Prize in Genetics
• 2013 American Medical College Prize for Outstanding Work in Science Related to Medicine

The University of Angers awarded Professor Douglas Cecil Wallace the Doctor Honoris Causa title on December 3, 2015.