Q & a with Daniel L. Hartl, recipient of the 2019 thomas hunt morgan medal

Abstract

The Genetics Society of America’s Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal honors researchers for lifetime achievement in genetics. The recipient of the 2019 Morgan Medal is Daniel Hartl of Harvard University, who is recognized for his influential and diverse contributions to genetics research. The unifying theme of Hartl’s broad impacts on transmission, population, evolutionary, and medical genetics has been the combination of theoretical insights with cutting-edge experimental techniques. Some of his contributions include revealing the genetics of segregation distortion, developing statistical frameworks for estimating the effects of selection, application of these frameworks to natural and experimental populations, discovery of the mariner transposon and its influence on genome evolution, insights into the evolution of gene expression differences, and modeling the evolution of malaria parasite populations. Hartl is also known as a supportive mentor who has trained many prominent geneticists that continue to shape the field.