Harold Varmus biography, married, wife, constance louise casey, awards, email, net worth

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<p>Harold Varmus was born on December 18, 1939, in New York, USA. He is of Jewish descent. His paternal grandfather immigrated from Poland at a young age in search of work. His father, Frank Varmus, was a physician, while his mother, Beatrice, worked as a social worker.</p>

<h2>Early Education and Academic Interests</h2>
<p>Varmus was an accomplished <a href="/biography/harold-varmus">student</a> from a young age. He graduated from Freeport High School in 1957. Initially drawn to literature, he pursued a master’s degree in English literature at Harvard University. However, during his time there, his interest in science grew significantly, leading him to redirect his academic and professional ambitions toward medicine.</p>

<h2>Medical Training and Transition to Science</h2>
<p>Despite his academic background in the humanities, Varmus decided to pursue a career in medicine. He was not admitted to Harvard Medical School due to his lack of formal coursework in science. Subsequently, he enrolled at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he earned his MD degree.</p>

<h2>Early Medical Career and Entry into Research</h2>
<p>Varmus began his medical career with an internship at a U.S. Public Health Service hospital, which provided him with initial hands-on clinical experience. In 1966, he returned to New York and worked at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital for a brief period before joining the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of the Public Health Service.</p>

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<h2>Scientific Achievements and Nobel Prize</h2>
<p>In 1970, Varmus shifted his focus from clinical work to biomedical research. He joined the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he eventually became a senior professor. Alongside his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Michael_Bishop">colleague</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Michael_Bishop">J. Michael Bishop</a>, he conducted groundbreaking research on the genetic origins of cancer. Their work led to the discovery of proto-oncogenes—normal cellular genes that can become cancerous when mutated. Specifically, they identified the cellular gene c-src, which can mutate into v-src, an oncogene responsible for causing cancer.</p>

<p>For this pioneering research, Varmus and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Michael_Bishop">Bishop</a> were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1989. This discovery laid the foundation for targeted cancer therapies that aim to interrupt the genetic mechanisms behind cancer development.</p>

<h2>Awards and Recognition</h2>
<p>Beyond the Nobel Prize, Varmus has received numerous accolades for his scientific contributions. In 1982, he and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Michael_Bishop">Bishop</a> were honored with the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research. Nearly two decades later, in 2001, he received the Vannevar Bush Award for leadership in science and technology.</p>

<h2>Personal Life and Views on Technology</h2>
<p>Harold Varmus married Constance Louise Casey, a journalist and book critic, in 1969. The couple met at a social event and quickly formed a close bond, leading to their marriage after a short courtship. Together, they have two children. Although his net worth has been estimated at around $50 million, Varmus maintains a relatively private lifestyle. He is not active on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, stating that email suffices for his communication needs.</p>

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