George Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Church
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Church with a molecular model at TED 2010
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| Born | August 28, 1954 MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
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| Nationality | U.S. |
| Citizenship | U.S. |
| Alma mater | Duke, Harvard |
| Known for | DNA sequencing |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Genetics |
| Institutions | Harvard, MIT |
George Church (born August 28, 1954) is an American scientist. He is known for his work with genes and DNA. He helped figure out the human genetic code. This code is like a special instruction book found in our bodies.
Church is a professor at Harvard Medical School. He also teaches at Harvard University and MIT. He works at the Wyss Institute, where he helps create new things inspired by biology.
Early Discoveries
In 1984, George Church and Walter Gilbert created a new way to read DNA. This method helped them understand the full genetic code of living things. He also helped start the Human Genome Project that same year. This big project aimed to map out all the genes in human DNA.
Church invented ways to study huge amounts of chemical information. He also created machines that could build DNA arrays. In 1994, his team used new technology to read the full genetic code of a tiny germ called Helicobacter pylori. This was the first time a germ's entire genetic code was read for business use.
Personal Genomics
In 2005, Church started the Personal Genome Project (PGP). This project helps people learn about their own genetic code. In 2007, he co-founded a company called Knome. This company helps people get their personal genetic information.
New Technologies
Church also works on something called synthetic biology. This is about building new biological systems that don't exist in nature. He leads a center at Harvard and MIT that studies how to make energy from living things. He also directs a center at Harvard that focuses on genomic science. This field studies genes and their functions.
He has given advice to many companies. He helped start Codon Devices, a company that makes custom DNA sequences. He also co-founded LS9, which works on making biofuels. These are fuels made from plants or other living things.
In 2009, he started Pathogenica. This company uses gene-reading technology to study germs that cause sickness.
Awards and Recognition
In September 2010, Dr. Church received the Mass High Tech All-Star Award. This award honored his important work in genetics. He also helps edit a science magazine called Molecular Systems Biology.
