William Allan (geneticist)
Encyclopedia
William Allan was an American physician and geneticist who made pioneering studies in human genetics and hereditary diseases. He established the first course in human genetics, at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, which is now a part of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
.
At Bowman Gray School of Medicine, the first department of medical genetics in the United States was established, and William Allan was appointed as the department’s first chairman. Prior to this appointment, Allan had been in private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was nationally recognized for his early work in human and medical genetics. As chairman of this new department, William Allan also directed the nation’s first research program in medical genetics, funded by the Carnegie Foundation
.
The American Society of Human Genetics
(ASHG) named its highest honor for Allan in 1961. The William Allan Award
is presented annually by ASHG to recognize substantial and far-reaching scientific contributions to human genetics carried out over a sustained period of scientific inquiry and productivity. An award of $10,000 and an engraved medal are presented at the ASH annual meeting.
This condition, which occurs exclusively in male
s, disrupts development from before birth. It is named eponymously for William Allan, Florence C. Dudley, and C. Nash Herndon.
Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome is a rare disorder of brain
development that causes moderate to severe mental retardation
and problems with movement.
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center is a teaching hospital located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is the largest employer in Forsyth County with over 11,000 employees at its main location, and a total of 100 buildings on , including a 196-acre research farm and a research center downtown.The...
.
At Bowman Gray School of Medicine, the first department of medical genetics in the United States was established, and William Allan was appointed as the department’s first chairman. Prior to this appointment, Allan had been in private practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was nationally recognized for his early work in human and medical genetics. As chairman of this new department, William Allan also directed the nation’s first research program in medical genetics, funded by the Carnegie Foundation
Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
.
The American Society of Human Genetics
American Society of Human Genetics
The American Society of Human Genetics , founded in 1948, is the primary professional membership organization for specialists in human genetics worldwide. As of 2009, the organization had approximately 8,000 members...
(ASHG) named its highest honor for Allan in 1961. The William Allan Award
William Allan Award
The William Allan Award, given by the American Society of Human Genetics, was established in 1961 in memory of William Allan , one of the first American physicians to conduct extensive research in human genetics...
is presented annually by ASHG to recognize substantial and far-reaching scientific contributions to human genetics carried out over a sustained period of scientific inquiry and productivity. An award of $10,000 and an engraved medal are presented at the ASH annual meeting.
Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome
This condition, which occurs exclusively in male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
s, disrupts development from before birth. It is named eponymously for William Allan, Florence C. Dudley, and C. Nash Herndon.
Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome is a rare disorder of brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
development that causes moderate to severe mental retardation
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
and problems with movement.