Huma Q. Rana, MD of Harvard Medical School's Dana Farber Cancer Institute is the recipient of the 2014 Richard King Trainee Award. This award was instituted five years ago by the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine to encourage ABMG or genetic counseling trainees in their careers and to foster the publication of the highest quality research in ACMG's peer-reviewed journal, Genetics in Medicine (GIM). Each year the editorial board reviews all articles published in GIM by an ABMG or genetic counseling trainee who was either a first or corresponding author during that year. The manuscript felt to have the most merit is selected by the editorial board and a cash prize awarded at the 2014 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting.
Dr. Rana was given the award for her manuscript titled, " Age-Specific Parkinson Disease Risk in GBA Mutation Carriers: Information for Genetic Counseling" which was published in the February 2013 issue of Genetics in Medicine. The corresponding author was Roy Alcalay, MD, MS of Columbia University.
The award is given by the ACMG Foundation and is named for Dr. Richard King in recognition of his instrumental role in creating Genetics in Medicine and serving as the first and founding Editor-in-Chief of the journal.
Eligible trainees include those in the following programs: Clinical Biochemical Genetics; Clinical Cytogenetics; Clinical Molecular Genetics Combined Internal Medicine/Genetics; Combined Pediatrics/Genetics; PhD Medical Genetics and Genetic Counseling.
The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a community of supporters and contributors who understand the importance of medical genetics and genomics and genetic counseling in healthcare. Established in 1992, the ACMG Foundation supports the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics' mission to "translate genes into health" by raising funds to promote the profession of medical genetics and genomics to medical students, to fund the training of future medical geneticists, to support best-practices and tools for practicing physicians and laboratory directors, to promote awareness and understanding of our work in the general public, and much more.