BUSM Faculty Authors Book on Significance of Genes and Family History
BUSM Professor Aubrey Milunsky, MD, DSc, has penned a book focused on new DNA tests that have dramatically expanded the ability to avoid, prevent, diagnose, predict and treat many genetic disorders. He recounts the lessons learned from many families who benefitted from new advances in genetics, or could have, if they had only known. The book, Your Genes, Your Health: A Critical Family Guide That Could Save Your Life, provides important information about many genetic disorders, more especially since each of us unwittingly carries a significant number of harmful genes.
Milunsky underscores the importance of recognizing seemingly unrelated disorders in a family due to the same genetic mutation to illustrate the vital importance of understanding one’s family history and ethnic origin. He also describes the most current tests that can diagnose or predict genetic disorders or that can detect carriers of many different harmful genes.
Milunsky joined the BU community in 1982 when he was named Founding Director of the Center for Human Genetics and appointed Professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology, both at BUSM. He became a Professor of Pathology in 1985, and in 1991 became the first Endowed Chair in Human Genetics at BUSM, which will be named for him upon his retirement. He has been honored by election as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of England and as a member of the Society for Pediatric Research and the American Pediatrics Society. He is also a Founding Fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics.
Milunsky is the author or co-author of more than 400 scientific communications and author, editor or co-editor of 24 books.