by Margaret Pericak-Vance ‘73

Members of the selection committee, ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, thank you for honoring me here today. 

The opportunity to come back to Wells and be here with you during my 30th reunion has very special meaning to me. Since my days at Wells, I have pursued a career firmly rooted in my experiences here that has taken me on a thrilling journey. I work in the field of human genetics, and I have been extraordinarily privileged to participate in discovering genes, the inherited biological blueprints for life, that lead to diseases such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease and Lou Gehrig disease. 

As a student at Wells, I could not have imagined my career as it is today – not because I lacked focus, but because it simply did not exist. In hindsight, I realize I was fortunate to aspire to a branch of science where one could choose to be a pioneer. I had the opportunity while at Wells to work with several outstanding mentors. One who stands out in my memory is Dr. Patricia Sullivan, then professor of biology, who is now Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Pat and other faculty here were inspirational role models for me as an undergraduate.

At the time of my graduation, it was impossible to imagine the vast potential for collecting and interpreting genetic information. Over the past three decades, the sheer quantity of genetic information available to us has increased exponentially. It is like starting with a raindrop and ending with an ocean. And, although it has been 30 years since my graduation, it feels like we’re just getting started. The most recent era of genetic science focused on discovering the genes that cause diseases. At first we found the genes that cause rare, single-gene diseases such as cystic fibrosis and Huntington disease, and now, equipped with vastly more sophisticated technology, we are able to search for the genes that contribute to more common, genetically complex diseases such as Alzheimer disease, schizophrenia, and heart disease. However, gene discovery is not the ultimate goal of genetic science. The ultimate goal of genetic science is the discovery of ways to prevent and treat diseases with a genetic component. 

The media informs us daily of the milestones achieved in improving care using genetic information. From media reports you might imagine that genetic information is applied extensively in daily medical practice with each patient. In fact, this is not yet a reality.  The bridge from genetic research to clinical application, from the laboratory to the doctor-patient interaction, is the next hurdle in human genetics. The biggest challenge today for genetic pioneers is to integrate new technology and genetic information into ongoing patient care, a practice known as genomic medicine. Genomic medicine is the face of health care for the 21st century. Individualized treatments will be designed based on genetic information that significantly reduces the risk of onset for numerous common diseases and improve the effectiveness of treatment of symptoms for a wide variety of diseases such as cancer, glaucoma, autism, and heart disease. 

While this model of patient care is not yet a reality, we can foresee what it will have to offer. One of the biggest hurdles in medicine is predicting who will develop which diseases. In order to prevent disease, we need to know who is at risk. Within your lifetime, your DNA profile will become a significant part of your medical record. Right now, there are companies that can put the entire genetic code on a silicon wafer, similar to the one in your personal computer. In a few years, it will be possible to record a person's entire genetic makeup on a chip that can be scanned in moments to identify genetic susceptibility to disease. Genetic testing for common diseases will become standard practice. 

Once risk is identified, prevention strategies will focus on your genetic profile. For example, there are currently several options for treating individuals with heart disease.  However, heart disease is not one disease. There are many different genetic changes that can lead to heart disease, which vary from individual to individual. Currently, doctors don’t know how to predict which treatment will work best for which individuals. Now we are beginning to unravel the genetic differences between different people with the same disorder. In many cases these differences affect the likelihood that a course of treatment will be effective for any given patient. Doctors and scientists are right now learning how to use genetic information to make sure individuals with heart disease are getting treatments tailored to the genetic influences of their individual disease. 

This practice, called “pharmacogenetics,” is one example of how genomic medicine will transform health care. Pharmacogenetics will ensure that the right prescription will be used for the right individual. Based on a person’s genetic make-up, physicians will be able to determine who will benefit from a certain medication and who may experience significant negative side effects. 

One of the biggest questions in genomic medicine is how will we be able to make it a practical reality. In the past most genetic information was limited to rare diseases. No longer can a few thousand genetic specialists alone handle the genetic information needs of the public. A new system for the delivery of genetic health care will soon emerge. Components of this challenge include technology, administration, education of health care professionals, and, a particular challenge, the emergence of a genetically literate public capable of participating in their own health care. Another major challenge is the creation of a DNA database to store and retrieve this massive amount of genetic information while protecting patients’ privacy.

Pilot studies for the implementation of genomic medicine are just beginning, and the researchers I lead at the Center for Human Genetics at Duke University are privileged to be on the cutting edge of the exciting new work. In fact, one of our new initiatives in genomic medicine is in collaboration with my old Wells College Professor, Dr. Pat Sullivan, at UNC Greensboro. My colleagues and I are thrilled to participate in bringing advances in genetic science directly to patients. The future for human genetics and genomic medicine in bright. Much work remains to be done and new discoveries await us around every bend. 

I would like to thank Wells College for the knowledge and inspiration I acquired as a student here. The ability to go after my dreams grew out of my Wells experience. I have fond memories of both family and friends, and the feeling of always belonging to the Wells family. I have been extremely fortunate in the choices I have made both in my personal and professional life. The Wells experience is part of what gave me the courage and confidence to really try and make a difference in the world. I stand here as proof that from Wells College, a woman can go anywhere and do anything. Finally, I would like to dedicate this honor to my parents, my husband, Jeff, and to the two great loves of my life, my son JJ, who is always in my heart, and my daughter Danica. Thank you.

Delivered Saturday, June 7, 2003 in Phipps Auditorium, Macmillan Hall on the Wells College campus.