Please scroll to the bottom of this story for the video broadcast. The White House now says the event will start at 11:15 a.m.
Seattle biomedical pioneer Dr. Leroy Hood is receiving the National Medal of Science from President Barack Obama today.
Hood is president and co-founder of the Institute for Systems Biology. He came to Seattle in 1992 to found the University of Washington's Department of Molecular Biotechnology. Some of his prior awards include the Lasker Prize for studies on immune diversity, the Kyoto Prize for technological advancements and the Lemelson-MIT award for developing the DNA sequencer.
In a statement on the Institute's web site today, Hood said:
I am deeply honored to receive a National Medal of Science, and am profoundly grateful to the many fantastic colleagues and partners with whom I have worked throughout the years. Transforming human health is my life’s work and I am proud of all we have accomplished.
The Institute describes the medal award this way:
Dr. Hood is being honored for his significant body of work in the study of molecular immunology, biotechnology and genomics. Dr. Hood is a pioneer of the systems approach to biology and medicine that focuses on innovation in health, wellness and disease prevention through P4 (predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory) Medicine. His work in this area is contributing to the emergence of a healthcare system that will deliver more effective clinical care at a lower cost.
The other recipients of science and innovation medals this year can be found here.
