Cytogenetics and early days at the Moore Clinic with Victor McKusick

Abstract

Cytogenetics was established at the Moore Clinic in Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1959 not long after Victor McKusick had created there the new Division of Medical Genetics. The clinical members of the Division at that time were fellows in medicine, almost all recruited from abroad, and several took part in research on sex chromosome aberrations. The success of the venture was due to Victor's strong interest and support and for his belief that chromosome gene maps were essential for advancing human genetics. Cytogenetics was also set to play a key role in the future development of medical genetics practice. This snapshot of those who worked at the Moore Clinic in those early days, with a brief mention of some of their contributions, is given in appreciation of the debt we all owe to Victor.