Paul Billings
Encyclopedia
Paul Billings is an American doctor, lecturer, researcher, professor, and consultant on genetic information.
(AB) Degree in History.
After his undergraduate degree, Billings went on to study medicine and, more specifically, immunology at Harvard University
with a Medical Scientist Training Grant Fellowship from NIH and Harvard University. He won Harvard Medical School's James Tolbert Shipley Prize for best published research in 1979. Billings' MD adviser at Harvard was Baruj Benacerraf
, who went on to win a Nobel Prize the following year. Billings graduated in 1979 with both a PhD
in immunology and an M.D.
degree.
Billings went from medical school into his residency at University of Washington
Affiliated Hospitals, which he finished in 1982. After his residency, Billings stayed on as a fellow in medical genetics until 1984 under the advisement of Arno Motulsky. After a winter as Acting Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics, still at University of Washington, he returned to the Boston area to begin a series of clinical and research fellowships. By 1985, Billings was diplomat and board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine
.
Billings went on to teach and tutor at a university level while conducting research and practicing medicine. Billings has been on the faculties of University of California, Berkeley
, Harvard University
, University of California, San Francisco
, and Stanford University
. His research focuses on ethics and medicine. Specifically, he is interested in the impact of genetic information and biotechnology on society, the integration of genomics into healthcare, post-genomic health and identity, molecular biology and immunogenetics, their relationship to cellular differentiation, and their application in cancer care, and human stem cell research and its relationship to clinical medicine. Billings' research on genetic discrimination provided academic support for the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act. He has received research grants for his work from various organizations, including National Institutes of Health
, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
, and the Council for Responsible Genetics
.
Office of Technology Assessment
, United States Congress
:
National Institutes of Health
(NIH):
's Genomic Medicine Institute. Billings is pending reappointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anthropology at University of California, Berkeley
. He is currently Adviser of CELLective Dx Corporation (CLDx) and a member of the HHS Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genomics, Health and Society.
Dr. Billings is on the boards of several for-profit and not-for-profit organizations seeking involved in health care.
Billings on "Genetics news (www.geneletter.com)":
Books published:
Background
Billings began his undergraduate education at UC Santa Cruz in 1970 and then transferred to UC San Diego in 1972. While at UCSD, Billings worked with adviser Martin Kagnoff as a student fellow at the Salk Institude of Biological Sciences and spent the summer of 1973 as a student summer fellow at American Gastroenterology Association advised by Morton Grossman. He graduated summa cum laude from UC San Diego in 1974 with an Artium BaccalaureatusBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(AB) Degree in History.
After his undergraduate degree, Billings went on to study medicine and, more specifically, immunology at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
with a Medical Scientist Training Grant Fellowship from NIH and Harvard University. He won Harvard Medical School's James Tolbert Shipley Prize for best published research in 1979. Billings' MD adviser at Harvard was Baruj Benacerraf
Baruj Benacerraf
Baruj Benacerraf was a Venezuelan-born American immunologist, who shared the 1980 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the "discovery of the major histocompatibility complex genes which encode cell surface protein molecules important for the immune system's distinction between self and...
, who went on to win a Nobel Prize the following year. Billings graduated in 1979 with both a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in immunology and an M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree.
Billings went from medical school into his residency at University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
Affiliated Hospitals, which he finished in 1982. After his residency, Billings stayed on as a fellow in medical genetics until 1984 under the advisement of Arno Motulsky. After a winter as Acting Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics, still at University of Washington, he returned to the Boston area to begin a series of clinical and research fellowships. By 1985, Billings was diplomat and board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine
American Board of Internal Medicine
The American Board of Internal Medicine is a non-profit, independent physician evaluation organization committed to continuously improving the profession for the public good by certifying physicians who practice internal medicine and its sub-specialties...
.
Billings went on to teach and tutor at a university level while conducting research and practicing medicine. Billings has been on the faculties of University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, University of California, San Francisco
University of California, San Francisco
The University of California, San Francisco is one of the world's leading centers of health sciences research, patient care, and education. UCSF's medical, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, and graduate schools are among the top health science professional schools in the world...
, and Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. His research focuses on ethics and medicine. Specifically, he is interested in the impact of genetic information and biotechnology on society, the integration of genomics into healthcare, post-genomic health and identity, molecular biology and immunogenetics, their relationship to cellular differentiation, and their application in cancer care, and human stem cell research and its relationship to clinical medicine. Billings' research on genetic discrimination provided academic support for the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act. He has received research grants for his work from various organizations, including National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the United States' largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care; it is based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation's mission is to improve the health and health care of all Americans...
, and the Council for Responsible Genetics
Council for Responsible Genetics
The Council for Responsible Genetics is a non-profit NGO with a focus on biotechnology.- History :The Council for Responsible Genetics was founded in 1983 in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
.
Government positions
A partial list of Billings' government positions:Office of Technology Assessment
Office of Technology Assessment
The Office of Technology Assessment was an office of the United States Congress from 1972 to 1995. OTA's purpose was to provide Congressional members and committees with objective and authoritative analysis of the complex scientific and technical issues of the late 20th century, i.e. technology...
, United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
:
- Contractor 1989 ("Genetic Testing in the Workplace")
- Reviewer 1989 ("DNA Identification Systems"), 1990 ("Genetic Testing in the Workplace"), 1991 ("CF Screening"), 1994 ("DNA Patenting")
National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
(NIH):
- Special Study Section 1989 ("The Human Genome Initiative")
- Member of Study Section on Cystic Fibrosis Screening for NIH Genome Center 1991
- Member of the Special Insurance Task Force on Insurance and Genetics 1991-1993 (NIH/DOE)
- Chair of NIH Special Task Force on Insurance and Genetic Information's Subcommittee on "Genetic Discrimination" 1991-1993
- Consultant for NIH/Food and Drug Administration Recombinant DNARecombinant DNARecombinant DNA molecules are DNA sequences that result from the use of laboratory methods to bring together genetic material from multiple sources, creating sequences that would not otherwise be found in biological organisms...
Advisory Committee 1999 - Reviewer for NIH Special Study on Salivary Diagnostics for the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial ResearchNational Institute of Dental and Craniofacial ResearchThe National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research , is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and as such its function is to the promote the general health of the American people, by improving their oral, dental and craniofacial health. Dr...
2007–present
Current
Billings is currently director and chief science officer of El Camino HospitalEl Camino Hospital
El Camino Hospital is a 395-bed hospital based in Mountain View, California.Located on a campus in the heart of Silicon Valley, El Camino Hospital serves residents in the El Camino Hospital District — Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and portions of Sunnyvale and Palo Alto — as...
's Genomic Medicine Institute. Billings is pending reappointment as Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anthropology at University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. He is currently Adviser of CELLective Dx Corporation (CLDx) and a member of the HHS Secretary's Advisory Committee on Genomics, Health and Society.
Dr. Billings is on the boards of several for-profit and not-for-profit organizations seeking involved in health care.
Publications
Partial list of publications:- Billings P. Alert on Genetic Discrimination. Medical Tribune 1990; 31(12):15.
- Billings P. Biotechnology: Ethical Dilemmas. Biotech Monitor 1991; 1(2):2,4-6.
- Billings P. Rising Cost of Private Health Insurance. U.S. Congress Committee on Energy and Commerce. US Government Printing Office 1991; 11-58.
- Billings P and Beckwith J. Genetic Testing in the Workplace. Trends in Genetics 1992; 8(6):198-202.
- Billings P. Public Must Be Educated About the Limited Predictive Usefulness of Genetic Diagnoses. Genetic Engineering News 1992; 12(19): 4, 38.
- Billings P. Promises and Pitfalls of Genetic Testing. Bay Area BioScience Reports 1992;3(4): 5,7.
- Billings P. Genetic Discrimination by Insurers: The Public Perception. J Insur Med 1993; 25(2): 184-91.
- Billings P. Genetic Discrimination: What Can We Learn from History? (commentary) Blatt, Miller and Haddow (eds). The Genetic Resource 1994; 8(1): 44.
- Billings P. A Study of Genetic Discrimination. (background paper and appendix). In: Genetic Information and Health Insurance: Report of the Task Force on Genetic Information and Insurance. NIH Publication 93-3686 1993.
- Billings P. and Hubbard R. Fragile X Testing: Who Benefits? GeneWatch 1994; 9(3-4):1-3.
- Billings P. Comments on the social, legal and policy issues arising from the genetic revolution. Testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Genetics and Public Policy on April 8, 1996. State of California Printing Office 1996.
- Billings P. Genetic information and privacy (a background paper). For: For the Record: Protecting Electronic Health Information. National Academy Press 1997.
- Billings P. Comments on genetic research and privacy issues. In: Privacy Issues in Biomedical and Clinical Research. National Academy Press 1998.
- Billings P. "Wider impact? (letter)". HMS Beagle: The BioMedNet Magazine 1998; 42; Nov 13.
- Billings P. DNA data banks would taint justice. Boston Globe 1999; Jan 14 (A):19.
- Billings P. "Iceland, blood and the role of science". Am Sci 1999; 87(3):199-00.
- Billings P. Perspective on medicine: does life as a patient begin even before patient is born? Los Angeles Times 1999; Mar 11 (B):9.
- Billings P. Modified foods are like drugs. Boston Globe 1999; Aug 28 (A):19.
- Nadar C, Herbert M, Billings P, Bereano P, Hubbard R, King J, Newman S, and Stabinsky D. Resdesigning Evolution? (letter). Science 1999; 285 (3):1491.
- Spinard P. with Billings P. ReadMe. Wired 2001; 9(12): 98.
- Billings P, Rothstein M, Faigman D and Jones R. Cutting edges issues in law and science. Proceedings of a 9th circuit judicial conference panel presentation. In: Scientific Evidence Review Monograph 3 (Cwik C and North J, eds) 2001 ABA Publishing, Chicago, IL. pp1–52.
- Beeson D, Billings P, Darnofsky M, and C Weiner. Ethics, genetic technologies and social responsibility in the 21st century. 2001 Proceedings of a Townsend Center panel. http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/banc/biotech.
- Worthy K., Strohman R., Billings P. Conflicts around a study of Mexican crops. Nature 2002; 417:897.
- Billings P. A medical geneticist’s view. World Watch 2002; 15(4):16.
- Billings, P. Your DNA computer: When machines and humans blend. IHealthBeat 2002: Sept. 6. http://www.ihealthbeat.org.
- Billings P. Iron revisited. Annals of Family Medicine 2004 Invited online commentary posted 4/1/04 at http://www.AnnFamMed.org.
- P.R. Billings and M.P. Brown. The future of clinical laboratory genomics. M.L.O. Dec (2004). 8-15. (Published online Dec 1, 2004 at http://www.mlo-online.com.
- Billings, P. CRG History A Chapter in Non Governmental Politics, “Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information”, National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics, Subcommittee on Privacy and Confidentiality, January 12, 2005, available online at http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov/050112p2.htm.
- Billings P. Stem cell research: Dangerous territory? New Scientist. 2006;2576.
- Billings P. Personalized management of cancer using circulating tumor cells. The Personalized Medicine Report 2008; 11:18-21.
Billings on "Genetics news (www.geneletter.com)":
- Homecooked eugenics. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Feb; 1)
- New heights of compatibility. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Feb; 1)
- Understanding the EEC split. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Feb; 1)
- Thinking in neurofibromatosis type 1. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Feb; 1)
- Constructing a new genetics. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Feb; 1)
- Wherefore art thou disease genes? GeneLetter 2000; 1(Mar; 2)
- Genetic for all. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Apr; 3)
- Following up. GeneLetter 2000; 1(May; 4)
- A gene therapy death. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Jun; 5)
- Gene therapists beware: lessons from GM food. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Jun; 5)
- Mutation: the good, the bad and the ugly. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Jul; 6)
- Biotechnology’s albatross. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Aug; 7)
- A genomic failure. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Aug; 7)
- Warp speed genetics. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Sep; 8)
- Questioning the question: the role of opposites. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Sep; 8)
- On crooks, adverse selection and insurance genetics. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Oct; 9)
- Art and genetics: asking the right questions. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Oct; 9)
- Practicing responsible genetic medicine. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Nov; 10)
- Genetic hygiene: public health anew? GeneLetter 2000; 1(Dec; 11)
- Applying genetic advances: where do we go from here. A report from GeneSage’s “Genetic issues survey of managed care executives”. GeneLetter 2000; 1(Dec; 11)
- Paying for the genetic revolution. GeneLetter 2001; 1(Jan; 12)
- Hemochromatosis imbroglio. GeneLetter 2001; 1(Jan; 12)
- Happy Birthday, GeneLetter. GeneLetter 2001; 2(Feb; 1)
- The disappearing gene. GeneLetter 2001; 2(Mar; 2)
- Where things stand. GeneLetter 2001; 2(Apr; 3)
- Human genetic complexity. GeneLetter 2001; 2(May; 4)
- Genetic screening anew. GeneLetter 2001; 2(Aug; 5)
Books published:
- Billings P (ed). DNA on Trial: Genetic Identification and Criminal Justice. Cold Spring Harbor Pubs, 1992.