The genetics of common diseases

Joint Event on 8^th International Conference on Human Genetics and Genetic Diseases & 13^th International Conference on Genomics & Pharmacogenomics

November 25-26, 2019 | Madrid, Spain

Kari Stefansson

deCODE genetics, Iceland

Keynote: JMGM

Biography :

Kári Stefánsson, M.D., Dr. Med. is founder and CEO of Reykjavik-based deCODE genetics. In Iceland he has pioneered the use of population-scale
genetics to understand variation in the sequence of the human genome. His work, published in more than 600 scientific papers, has focused on how
genomic diversity is generated and on the discovery of sequence variants impacting susceptibility to common diseases. The population approach
he has advanced in Iceland has served as the model for national genome projects around the world and contributed to the realization of several
aspects of precision medicine, including to the discovery and development of therapeutic targets and compounds for Amgen. Prior to founding
deCODE in 1996 he was professor of neurology, neuropathology and neuroscience at Harvard and had previously held faculty positions in neurology,
neuropathology and neurosciences at the University of Chicago, from 1983-1993.
Dr. Stefansson has received some of the highest honors in biomedical research and genetics, including the including the Sackler Lecture at MIT,
the European Society of Human Genetics Award, the Anders Jahre Award, the American Alzheimer’s Association’s Inge Grundke-Iqbal Award, the
Federation of European Biomedical Societies’ Sir Hans Krebs Medal, and the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) William Allan Award. His
work has been recognized by major international publications and bodies including Time, Newsweek, Forbes, BusinessWeek and the World Economic
Forum. He holds Iceland’s highest honor, the Order of the Falcon, and in 2019 was elected the first president of the Nordic Society of Human Genetics
and Precision Medicine.