Harold Varmus

Harold Varmus

Nationality	American
Known for	Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Awards	Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Harold Eliot Varmus (born December 18, 1939) is an American Nobel Prize-winning scientist known for his research on the genetic basis of cancer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1989, along with J. Michael Bishop, for their discovery of the cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes.

Early Life and Education

Varmus was born in Oceanside, New York, and attended Freeport High School. He received his undergraduate degree in English literature from Amherst College in 1961. He then attended Harvard University for graduate studies in English, but later switched to medicine, earning his M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1966.

Career

After completing his medical degree, Varmus worked as a medical intern at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. He then joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a clinical associate in 1968, where he began his research on oncogenes.

In 1970, Varmus moved to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he collaborated with J. Michael Bishop. Their groundbreaking work demonstrated that normal cellular genes could be converted into cancer-causing genes by retroviruses. This discovery was pivotal in understanding the genetic mechanisms of cancer.

Varmus served as the Director of the National Institutes of Health from 1993 to 1999. He later became the President of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Contributions to Science

Varmus's research has significantly advanced the field of oncology. His work on retroviral oncogenes has provided insights into the molecular biology of cancer, leading to the development of targeted cancer therapies.

Awards and Honors

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Varmus has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Science and the Vannevar Bush Award. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Personal Life

Varmus is married to Constance Casey, a journalist and gardener. They have two sons.

See Also

• Oncogene
• Retrovirus
• Cancer research

References

• Nobel Prize Biography
• NIH Almanac

External Links

• Harold Varmus's Publications