George Church is professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Center for Computational Genetics. With degrees from Duke University in chemistry and zoology, he co-authored research on 3D-software and RNA structure with Sung-Hou Kim. His Ph.D. from Harvard in biochemistry and molecular biology with Wally Gilbert included the first direct genomic sequencing method in 1984; initiating the Human Genome Project then as a Research Scientist at newly-formed Biogen Inc. and a Monsanto Life Sciences Research Fellow at UCSF. He invented the broadly-applied concepts of molecular multiplexing and tags, homologous recombination methods, and array DNA synthesizers. Technology transfer of automated sequencing and software to Genome Therapeutics Corp. resulted in the first commercial genome sequence (the human pathogen, H. pylori, 1994). He has served in advisory roles for 12 journals, 5 granting agencies and over 20 biotech companies. Current research focuses on integrating biosystems-modeling with personal genomics and synthetic biology. 

August 28th, 1954 in MacDill Air Force Base (Age 70)