At the University of Michigan, Collins the method of "positional cloning" to locate genes within a chromosome, ultimately discovering genes responsible for cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, and type II diabetes. In 1992, he succeeded James Watson as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, and in 2000 announced that the project had sequenced the entire human genome, beating out a competing effort by Craig Venter. As a public intellectual, he has defended his stance as both a biologist and as a Christian apologist, claiming to be inspired by C. S. Lewis, and has debated Richard Dawkins on the merits of faith.
[1] Raised an agnostic with nominal Episcopalian influence. Professed Atheism through college, until his first wife facilitated his conversion to Methodism.
Father: Fletcher Colins (drama professor at Mary Baldwin College)
Mother: Margaret Collins (playwright)
Brother: (three brothers, all older)
Wife: Mary Lynn Harman (div., two daughters)
Wife: Diane (m.)
High School: Robert E. Lee High School, Staunton, VA (1966, graduated at age 16)
University: BS Chemistry, University of Virginia (1970)
University: PhD Physical Chemistry, Yale University (1974)
Medical School: MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1977)
Professor: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (1984-93)
National Institutes of Health Director (2009-)
Human Genome Project Director (1992-2008)
Academy of Achievement (1994)
American Association for the Advancement of Science 1982
BioLogos Foundation Founder, President (2007-09)
John Templeton Foundation
National Academy of Sciences 1993
Presidential Medal of Freedom Nov-2007
Converted to Methodism 1977
Born-Again Christian 1977
Funeral: Christopher Hitchens (2012)
FILMOGRAPHY AS ACTOR
Religulous (6-Sep-2008) · Himself
Appears on the cover of:
Time, 3-Jul-2000, DETAILS: Cracking the Code! (with Craig Venter)
Author of books:
Principles of Medical Genetics (1990)
Coming to Peace With Science: Bridging the Worlds Between Faith and Biology (2004)
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (2006)
The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine (2010)
AKA Francis Sellers Collins