Raymond L. White

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Raymond White is a pioneer in developing genetic markers based on DNA sequence variation in the human genome. These DNA markers have become the basis for genetic mapping of human genes and chromosomes, including the mapping and identification of the gene variants that underlie inherited human disorders, such as cancer and neurological disease. He was one of the first to recognize that the emerging advances in DNA technology were making it possible to directly detect base-pair changes in human DNA, and that these could be used as a large source of genetic markers. The human marker map and its markers have made it possible to pinpoint chromosomal locations of a number of genes that are responsible for inherited diseases and hundreds of these genes have been isolated following the paradigm of “positional cloning”. He and his laboratory played key roles in the identification of the Neurofibromatosis Type I gene and the gene for familial polyposis, an inherited form of colon cancer. His laboratory also used the mapped genetic markers to examine the genetic events of tumorigenesis in retinoblastoma, showing that one copy of the “retinoblastoma gene” is often lost during tumor development. This led to the realization that many of the most important cancer genes act as tumor suppressors, where both copies of the gene must be inactivated in order for cancer to occur, often by a chromosomal rearrangement.

More recently, Dr. White has become interested in the genetics of behavioral disorders, most specifically the genetics of alcoholism and alcohol abuse. These disorders are a major problem in public health, often devastating for the affected individuals, their families, and society. Evidence from family studies indicates that these disorders are complex with both genetic and environmental components. Identification of the genetic components of these disorders is an important goal, as clarifying the genetics will reveal underlying molecular mechanisms and proteins for the development of therapeutic medications. Furthermore, identification of the genetic etiology may also reveal important differences among affected individuals, enabling the implementation of more individually-specific therapeutic approaches. Specific and detailed knowledge of genetic components will also help in identifying the major environmental components, which may also create important new therapeutic opportunities.

In 2002, Dr. White became the Director of the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, and, in 2003, he was appointed the Rudi Schmid Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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