Gail P. Jarvik
The information listed below is current as of the date the transcript was finalized.
Interview Details
Interview Sessions
Abstract of Interview
Gail P. Jarvik was raised in Mount Prospect, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, one of six siblings (with an age-span of seventeen years between the oldest and youngest). Her mother was a housewife who received a college degree in her fifties and her father transitioned from being a television repair man to becoming the youngest fire chief in Illinois. She had an early interest in nature, reading, and math, and had several influential teachers. She matriculated at the University of Iowa, majoring in zoology. An interest in science and medicine led Jarvik to apply for admission to various medical and graduate programs, including the University of Iowa’s Medical Scientist Training program, to which she was accepted.
She began her studies for her medical doctorate at the University of Iowa before James Hanson, the head of pediatric genetics at Iowa, gave her the opportunity to pursue her PhD at the University of Michigan. In the lab of Charles F. Sing at Michigan, Jarvik began to work on fetal hydantoin syndrome but then switched topics before completing her degree. Upon finishing her medical education at Iowa she moved on to train in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where she collaborated with Terri Beaty from Johns Hopkins University, on hyperlipidemia. After finishing her training she began a medical genetics fellowship on the genetics of prostate cancer at the University of Washington, Seattle, under Ellen M. Wijsman, and then went on to accept a position at the University of Washington Medical Center.
Throughout the interview Jarvik spends much time talking about her current work, her life outside of the lab, her perspectives on science and its practice in contemporary culture. She discusses her opinions on the public awareness of genetic research, ethical questions in science, the advantages and disadvantages of competition in science, her collaborative research projects, and the importance of being familiar with the history of biomedical science in her research. In addition she reflects on the ways in which the Pew Scholars Program in Biomedical Sciences has affected her work and on the methods that should be used to improve the quality of science in her field.
Education
Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
---|---|---|---|
1980 | University of Iowa | BS | Zoology |
1983 | University of Michigan | MS | Human Genetics |
1986 | University of Michigan | PhD | Human Genetics |
1987 | University of Iowa | MD |
Professional Experience
University of Washington
University of Pennsylvania
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Veterans Administration Hospital Medical Center
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Honors
Year(s) | Award |
---|---|
1982 to 1986 | NIH Predoctoral Training Grant Award |
1992 | Individual National Research Service Award (declined) |
1992 to 1995 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship |
1995 | American Heart Association Clinician Scientist Award |
1996 | Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Award |
1996 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute Pilot Research Award |
1997 | Royalty Research Grant |
1997 to 2001 | Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences |
1998 | Veterans Administration Hospital Epidemiology Research and Information Project Award |
1998 | National Institute of Health Award (PI): RO1 1HL6199 |
1998 | Poster Award, International Genetic Epidemiology Society Meeting |
1999 | National Institute of Health Award (PI): PO1 HL30086 (Project 1) |
1999 | National Institutes of Health Award (PI): RO1 1HL6199-01, 1998; PO1HL30086 (Project 1) |
2001 | American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award (Internal Medicine) |
2002 | National Institute of Health Award (PI): HL67406 |
2002 | National Academy of Sciences "Frontiers of Science" Meeting,Chair, Organizing Committee |
2002 | Roger R. Williams Award for Excellence in Genetic Research, American Heart Association |
Table of Contents
Family background. Childhood interests and experiences. Interests in nature, reading, and math. Attends school in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Decision to become a geneticist. Influential teachers. Extracurricular activities. Parental expectations. Majors in zoology at the University of Iowa. Works during summer in Carol J. Newlin's laboratory. Admitted to the Medical Science Training program. Admitted to medical school at University of Iowa and is mentored by Jim Hanson. Changes to PhD program at University of Michigan. Returns to University of Iowa for completion of medical education.
Trains as an internal medicine resident at the University of Pennsylvania. Collaborates on hyperlipidemia paper with Terri Beaty from Johns Hopkins University. Social life during school. Meets future husband Jeffrey "Jerry" G. Jarvik during residency. Begins medical genetics fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle under Ellen M Wijsman. Marries. Research on the genetics of prostate cancer
Current projects on the genetics of vascular diseases and of prostate cancer. Interest in disease prevention. Teaching duties. Administrative and clinical responsibilities. Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences award. Establishing her laboratory. Funding history. Writing journal articles. Lab management style. Committee responsibilities. Balancing family and career. Family support. Leisure activities. Public awareness of genetic research. Ethical questions in science. Patents. Privatization of research. Competition and collaborative research projects. Politics and research. Gender.
History of biomedical science. More about the Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences. Suggestions for additions to the Pew program. Religion. Laboratory management and mentoring style. Educated citizens, the media, and bioethicists. Importance of providing good training and support for future scientists.