JBS Haldane Lecture 2013 – Mark Henderson

The Genetics Society is pleased to announce that the 2013 JBS Haldane Lecture will be awarded to Mark Henderson (The Wellcome Trust).  The JBS Haldane Lecture recognises an individual for outstanding ability to communicate topical subjects in genetics research, widely interpreted, to an interested lay audience.

After studying Modern History at Oxford as an undergraduate, Mark joined the Times as Science Correspondent 2000, becoming Science Editor in 2006.  He was instrumental in founding Eureka, the newspaper’s monthly science magazine, and has won several awards for his journalism: three prizes from the Medical Journalists’ Association (all for genetics stories: cancer treatments, genetic diagnosis of MODY diabetes and the first pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for BRCA genes), the Royal Statistical Society’s prize for statistical excellence in journalism (investigation into risks revealed by over‐the‐counter genetic testing), and the European Best Cancer Reporter prize from the European School of Oncology.  His first book, 50 Genetics Ideas You Really Need to Know, was published in 2009. His second book, The Geek Manifesto, which explores the relationship between science and politics, was published in May 2012.  Mark Henderson joined the Wellcome Trust as Head of Communications in January 2012.