A trailblazing geneticist reflects on her life and work

In September 2025, Dr. Mary-Claire King discussed her groundbreaking work in genetics, from identifying cancer risk to reuniting families.

It’s common knowledge that many diseases and conditions have some kind of genetic link. But that wasn't always the case. In 1990, long before the Human Genome Project tied so many health issues to differences in genetics, researchers identified a gene called BRCA1. It was the first gene linked to a hereditary form of any common cancer. People with certain variants of BRCA1 stood a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer than those without those mutations.  

Geneticist Mary-Claire King and her lab were the first to identify that gene. She joined Host Flora Lichtman in September 2025 to talk about her background, her research, and her approach to science.

Guest:

Dr. Mary-Claire King is an American Cancer Society Professor in the departments of Genome Sciences and Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.

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