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| Dean H. Hamer | |
|---|---|
| Name | Dean H. Hamer |
| Birth date | 1952 |
| Nationality | American |
| Fields | Genetics, Molecular Biology, Epidemiology |
| Workplaces | National Institutes of Health |
| Known for | Research on genetics of behavior, "gay gene" hypothesis, methylation studies |
Dean H. Hamer is an American geneticist and molecular biologist noted for research on the genetic influences on human behavior, particularly studies proposing links between X chromosome markers and male sexual orientation, and later work on epigenetics and cancer. He has held research and administrative positions at the National Institutes of Health and written for both scientific and popular audiences. His work has prompted discussion across scientific, media, and advocacy communities.
Hamer was born in the United States and completed undergraduate studies followed by graduate training in genetics and molecular biology at institutions including University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University during eras shaped by figures such as Barbara McClintock, James Watson, Francis Crick, and Rosalind Franklin. He received doctoral-level mentoring in laboratories influenced by investigators like Seymour Benzer and Sydney Brenner and trained alongside peers from programs connected to National Institutes of Health training grants, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and collaborations with researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Hamer's scientific career spans molecular genetics, linkage analysis, and epigenetics. Early work used approaches from researchers such as Avery and MacLeod, Max Delbrück, and techniques refined by Frederick Sanger and Kary Mullis. In the 1990s he published a notable study employing linkage analysis linking markers on the X chromosome to patterns of male sexual orientation, engaging with concepts developed by Thomas Hunt Morgan and methods used by teams at Broad Institute and Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Subsequent research shifted toward epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation, and cancer epidemiology, drawing on frameworks used by investigators at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and National Cancer Institute. Hamer's studies intersect with work on complex traits from consortia such as the International HapMap Project, the Human Genome Project, and genome-wide association studies promoted by the NHGRI.
Hamer's administrative and career trajectory included roles within programs at the National Institutes of Health where he engaged with translational science initiatives, technology transfer offices, and bioinformatics infrastructures influenced by projects like Linux, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center computational initiatives, and collaborative platforms akin to those at European Bioinformatics Institute. While at NIH he interacted with directors and policymakers from offices such as the National Human Genome Research Institute, National Cancer Institute, and Office of the Director (NIH), and participated in workforce and training programs similar to those managed by Fellowship programs and Intramural Research Program leadership. His administrative work overlapped with public-science interfaces exemplified by partnerships between NIH and organizations such as the National Science Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and academic centers including Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Yale School of Medicine.
Hamer authored peer-reviewed articles in journals connected to publishers like Nature Publishing Group, Science (journal), and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and wrote books for general audiences, engaging marketplaces and reviewers associated with outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and broadcasting organizations like NPR and BBC. His best-known popular book presented hypotheses about biological contributions to sexual orientation and explored intersections with literature from authors such as Simon LeVay, Richard Dawkins, and commentators in periodicals like Time (magazine) and The New Yorker. He also contributed chapters and essays engaging debates featured at conferences sponsored by bodies such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Society.
Hamer's X chromosome linkage findings generated controversy among researchers, activists, and commentators, involving critiques and follow-up studies by groups at institutions like University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of California, Los Angeles, and Columbia University. Debates engaged scholars in fields represented by organizations including the American Psychological Association, American Sociological Association, and advocacy groups such as Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal. Replication attempts, meta-analyses, and critiques published in venues tied to PLOS Genetics, American Journal of Human Genetics, and Archives of Sexual Behavior examined statistical methods and sample ascertainment similar to discussions in literature from the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics and panels convened by the National Academy of Sciences.
Over his career Hamer received recognition from bodies and awards connected to institutions like the National Institutes of Health, private foundations that collaborate with the Gates Foundation and Sloan Foundation, and prizes often publicized through outlets such as Science Magazine and Nature. His honors include acknowledgments from professional societies including the American Association for the Advancement of Science and fellowships reminiscent of awards distributed by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Category:American geneticists Category:Living people