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University hosts visiting Johns Hopkins professor by Heather Murphy Public Relations MUSC hosted visiting professor Aravinda Chakravarti, Ph.D., Sept. 30 through Oct. 2, as a part of the 2001-2002 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Visiting Professorship in the Basic Medical Sciences.  Chakravarti lectured on “genomic variation in complex human diseases” in the Basic Sciences Building Auditorium. He also gave a special noon seminar entitled, “A Human Haplotype Map?” “Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the discovery of DNA,” said Chakravarti. “Although its discovery has contributed greatly to our understanding of ‘nature,’ the double helix still does not explain disease as well as we’d like.” In an interview before the lecture, Chakravarti stated the biggest challenge in genetics research is trying to find balance between having the right perspective and the tools to do the research.  He cited the importance of learning from other disciplines when doing genetic research.  “We have to understand how a variation in the gene itself leads to variation in the presentation of that gene,” he said. “I have a special interest in looking at the genetics involved with children’s diseases because children provide better biological insight. They haven’t been affected by many lifestyle factors and are therefore much closer to a ‘pure’ presentation of genetic makeup,” Chakravarti said. Currently, Chakravarti is the director of the McKeish-Nathans Insitute of Genetic Medicine and professor of pediatrics, medicine, and molecular biology and genetics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.  The Burroughs Wellcome Fund Visiting Professorship awards program granted MUSC $5,000 towards bringing Chakravarti to the campus. The Executive Committee of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology of the Burroughs Wellcome Board of Directors chose MUSC for one of these prestigious grants.         Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.