Francis Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Collins
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Official portrait, 2017
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| Science Advisor to the President | |
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Acting
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| In office February 18, 2022 – October 3, 2022 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Eric Lander |
| Succeeded by | Arati Prabhakar |
| 16th Director of the National Institutes of Health | |
| In office August 17, 2009 – December 19, 2021 |
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| President | Barack Obama Donald Trump Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Lawrence A. Tabak |
| Preceded by | Raynard S. Kington (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Lawrence A. Tabak (acting) |
| 2nd Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute | |
| In office April 1993 – August 1, 2008 |
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| President | Bill Clinton George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Michael M. Gottesman (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Alan Edward Guttmacher (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Francis Sellers Collins
April 14, 1950 Staunton, Virginia, U.S. |
| Spouse | Diane Baker |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Virginia (BS) Yale University (MS, PhD) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (MD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Molecular genetics |
| Institutions |
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| Thesis | Semiclassical theory of vibrationally inelastic scattering, with application to H+ + H₂ (1974) |
| Doctoral advisor | James Cross |
Francis Sellers Collins (born April 14, 1950) is an American doctor and scientist. He is famous for finding genes linked to many diseases. He also led the important Human Genome Project. This project worked to map all the genes in humans.
Collins was the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for many years. He served under three different presidents. Before that, he led the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). He was known for finding genes at the University of Michigan. He has received top awards for his scientific work. These include the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Collins has written books about science, medicine, and religion. One of his books, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, was a bestseller. He also started The BioLogos Foundation. This group helps people understand how science and faith can work together.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Francis Collins was born in Staunton, Virginia, in 1950. He grew up on a small farm. He was taught at home until he was in sixth grade. In high school and college, he wanted to be a chemist. He thought biology was too "messy."
He earned a degree in chemistry from the University of Virginia in 1970. Then, he got his PhD in physical chemistry from Yale University in 1974. While at Yale, a class in biochemistry made him interested in biology. He decided to change his path. He went to medical school at the UNC School of Medicine. He became a doctor in 1977. After medical school, he trained in internal medicine. He also studied human genetics at Yale.
Genetics Research
At Yale, Collins worked with Sherman Weissman. They found a new way to copy DNA fragments. They called this method chromosome jumping. It was much faster than older methods. In 1984, Collins joined the University of Michigan. There, he became a professor. He developed a powerful way to find genes. He called it "positional cloning."
Collins helped find the gene for cystic fibrosis in 1989. This was a big step forward. He worked with Lap-Chee Tsui and his team. After this, Collins and his partners found other important genes. These included genes for Huntington's disease and neurofibromatosis. They also found genes for Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome.
Genomics and the Human Genome Project
In 1993, Francis Collins became the director of the Human Genome Project. This project aimed to map all the genes in human DNA. It was a huge international effort. In 1994, Collins also started a research division at NHGRI. This division focused on genome research.
In June 2000, Collins announced a major achievement. He, along with President Bill Clinton and biologist Craig Venter, shared the news. They had completed a working draft of the human genome. Collins said it was amazing to see "our own instruction book." The full human genome sequence was finished in 2003. This was 50 years after DNA's structure was discovered.
Another big project Collins led was the International HapMap Project. This project created a map of human genetic differences. These differences are called single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Scientists now use this map to find genes linked to diseases. Collins's own lab used it to study type 2 diabetes.
Collins also cared about the ethical side of genetics. He worked to protect the privacy of genetic information. He helped pass a law against gene-based discrimination. He also worked with the family of Henrietta Lacks. This helped protect their privacy while allowing research on her cells. Collins also wanted genome research to help people in developing countries. He helped start the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) project. He left his role as NHGRI director in 2008. But he still leads a lab that studies progeria and type 2 diabetes.
Director of the National Institutes of Health
On July 8, 2009, President Barack Obama chose Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Senate quickly approved him. He was sworn in on August 17, 2009. Many scientists praised his appointment. They saw him as a skilled leader and a good communicator.
Collins made it clear that his personal faith would not affect his work at NIH. He wanted to reassure scientists. He appeared on TV shows to discuss his work. He talked about topics like personalized medicine. He also discussed stem cell research. In 2017, President Donald Trump asked Collins to continue as NIH Director. In 2021, President Joe Biden also asked him to stay. Collins announced he would resign in October 2021. His last day was December 19, 2021.
Key Projects at NIH
Collins helped create the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). This center helps turn scientific discoveries into new treatments. In 2013, he started the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. This project aims to understand the human brain better. He also launched the Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP). This is a team effort between NIH, the FDA, and drug companies.
In 2015, President Obama announced the Precision Medicine Initiative. This project aims to tailor medical treatments to each person. It plans to build a large research group of over 1 million U.S. participants. Collins also made a big decision in 2015. He announced that NIH would no longer support research using chimpanzees.
In 2016, President Obama announced the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative. This project aimed to speed up cancer research. It received extra funding for NIH. Collins also made changes to clinical trials. These changes aimed to protect participants better. They also improved how research results were reported. In 2017, he started the Next Generation Researchers Initiative. This helps young scientists get research grants.
Acting Science Advisor
After leaving NIH, Collins took on a new role. On February 17, 2022, President Biden named him the acting Science Advisor to the President. He also helps lead the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Music
Francis Collins loves playing the guitar and riding his motorcycle. He often talks about these hobbies. While leading NHGRI, he formed a rock band with other scientists. They called themselves The Directors. Their songs often made fun of rock and gospel classics. They changed the lyrics to be about science. Collins has performed at many events.
His love for music also led him to work with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. They expanded the Sound Health Initiative. This project explores how music can help treat brain and other disorders.
Awards and Honors
Collins has received many awards for his work. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine. He also joined the National Academy of Sciences. In 1990, he received the Canada Gairdner International Award. He also got the Golden Plate Award in 1994.
In 2001, he received the Biotechnology Heritage Award. He shared this with J. Craig Venter. In 2005, he received the William Allan Award. In 2007, President George W. Bush gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is one of the highest civilian awards in the U.S. In 2008, he received the National Medal of Science. This is another top science award. In 2020, he received the Templeton Prize. He also became a Foreign Member of the Royal Society.
Views on Science and Faith
When he was in graduate school, Collins considered himself an atheist. But a talk with a patient made him think about his beliefs. He started to explore different faiths. He read a book called Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. This book helped him develop his religious views. He believes that science and faith can go together. After thinking for several years, he became a Christian. He describes himself as a "serious Christian."
In his 2006 book, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, Collins wrote about his beliefs. He said that scientific discoveries are a chance to appreciate the world. He does not believe in Young Earth creationism or intelligent design. His belief is called theistic evolution. He also calls it BioLogos. This idea suggests that a Creator used the process of evolution to carry out a plan. He said that DNA is like an "instructional script" or a "software program" for life.
Collins does not agree with intelligent design being taught in science class. He believes that "science class ought to be about science." He started the BioLogos Foundation in 2007. Its goal is to show that science and faith can live in harmony. He led the foundation until he became NIH director. Collins has also spoken about how science and religion relate. He also discusses the existence of God.
Books
- Principles of Medical Genetics, 2nd Edition (1998)
- The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (2006)
- The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine (2010)
- Belief: Readings on the Reason for Faith (2010)
- The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions (2011)
- The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust (2024)
See also
- List of events in National Human Genome Research Institute history
- Science and religion
