Harry Harris FRS, FCRP (30 September 1919 – 17 July 1994)[1] was a British-born biochemist. His work showed that human genetic variation was not rare and disease-causing but instead was common and usually harmless. He was the first to demonstrate, with biochemical tests, that with the exception of identical twins we are all different at the genetic level.[3] This work paved the way for many well-known genetic concepts and procedures such as DNA fingerprinting, the prenatal diagnosis of disorders using genetic markers, the extensive heterogeneity of inherited diseases, and the mapping of human genes to chromosomes[1]
From 1945 to 1947 Harris served in the Royal Air Force as Medical Officer.[4] It was there that he began his studies in human genetics with inheritance of premature baldness.
Academic career
In 1947 Harris joined the Galton Laboratory at University College London (UCL) as a research assistant.[4] In 1948 he married Muriel Hargest; they had one child, Toby Harris. In 1950 he joined the teaching faculty as a lecturer in the department of biochemistry.
While at the Galton Laboratory Harris focused on a number of diseases, including diabetes mellitus, a disease that he would later develop. In collaboration with Charles Enrique Dent and William Warren, Harris focused on cystinuria. Using 2D paper chromatography and polarimetry, state-of-the-art technology at that time, they elucidated the genetics of the disease and other amino-acidurias diseases.
This work and others was included in his first book, An Introduction to Human Biochemical Genetics (1953). At the same time he was promoted to the position of senior lecturer and became a reader in Biochemical Genetics in 1958. During that time Harris began two new major lines of research. The first in pharmacogenetics was concerned with the genetics and biochemistry of pseudocholinesterase. The second research focus was on gene product analysis, where he used starch gel electrophoresis to explore the genetic diversity of plasma proteins (such as haptoglobins and transferrins).
In 1960 Harris left UCL and became professor and chairman of the department of biochemistry at King's College London. He established the Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit of Human and Biochemical Genetics in 1962.[6] The main purpose of the Unit was to investigate the extent of genetic variation in healthy humans using family and population studies and simple screening techniques.
In 1965, Harris returned to UCL and succeeded Lionel Penrose as professor of human genetics, a post he held until 1976.[7] The Unit moved with him. The staff of the Unit identified over 30 new enzyme polymorphisms and continued to make contributions to linkage studies until 2000.
In 1976 Harris and his wife left England for the University of Pennsylvania, where he held the position of Harnwell Professor of Human Genetics.[8] Harris retired in 1990 and became emeritus professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Death: 1994
Complications from small strokes contributed to Harris's death in 1994 at the age of 73.[2]
