Ronald W. Davis

Last updated
Ronald W. Davis
Born (1941-07-17) July 17, 1941 (age 82)
Charleston, Illinois [1]
Alma mater California Institute of Technology, Eastern Illinois University
Known for Human Genome Project
patents in biotechnology
ME/CFS research
Spouse
Janet Dafoe
​
(m. 1969)​
Children2
Awards
Scientific career
Fields Biochemistry
Molecular Genetics
Genomics
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
Institutions Stanford University, Harvard University, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Thesis A Study of the Base Sequence Arrangement in DNA by Electron Microscopy  (1970)

Ronald Wayne "Ron" Davis (born July 17, 1941) is professor of biochemistry and genetics, and director of the Stanford Genome Technology Center at Stanford University. [4] Davis is a researcher in biotechnology and molecular genetics, particularly active in human and yeast genomics and the development of new technologies in genomics, with over 30 biotechnology patents. [5] In 2013, it was said of Davis that "A substantial number of the major genetic advances of the past 20 years can be traced back to Davis in some way." [6] Since his son fell severely ill with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome Davis has focused his research efforts into the illness. [7]

Contents

Scientific career

After completing his PhD at Caltech and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University working with Jim Watson, Davis joined the faculty of Stanford's department of biochemistry in 1972. [8] He became an associate professor in 1980, full professor in 1980, and joined the department of genetics as a professor in 1990. He became director of the Stanford Genome Technology Center in 1994. He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1983. [9] [10]

Davis developed the R-loop technique of electron microscopy for mapping coding RNAs which led to the discovery of RNA splicing. [11] With Janet E. Mertz, Davis was the first to demonstrate the use of restriction endonucleases for joining DNA fragments. [12] Davis collaborated in the development of the first DNA microarray for gene expression profiling with Patrick O. Brown, [13] and the gene expression profile of the first complete eukaryotic genome ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ). [14] Davis, with David Botstein, Mark Skolnick, and Ray White developed the method [15] for constructing a genetic linkage map using restriction fragment length polymorphisms that enabled and led to the Human Genome Project.

He and his colleagues submitted a proposal to NIH to map the human genome in 1979; that proposal was turned down as being too ambitious. [8] The Stanford Genome Technology Center was included in the Human Genome Project that began in 1990 and was completed in 2003.

In 2013, Davis founded the Stanford Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research Center (now called ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center). [7]

Recognition and awards

In 2013 Davis was named, alongside Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, as one of today's nine greatest innovators by The Atlantic : "A substantial number of the major genetic advances of the past 20 years can be traced back to Davis in some way." [6]

He has won recognition for his contributions to genetic research from many groups, as early as 1976 and as recently as 2015, from one of his alumni colleges and from the National Academy of Sciences. In 2015, he received the Precision Medicine World Conference Luminary Award for his development of “R-loop Technique of Electron Microscopy”. [2] In 2013, he received the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize.

He received the Gruber Prize in Genetics in 2011, which noted among other achievements, two landmark papers, one in 1977 concerning genome editing and another in 1980 which "helped launch the field of genomics." [3] In 2007, California Institute of Technology gave him its Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2005, Davis received the Dickson Prize in Medicine. In 2004, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Genetics Society of America. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) gave him the 1982 NAS Award in Molecular Biology. In 1976, he received the Eli Lilly Award in Microbiology and Immunology.

Open Medicine Foundation

Dr. Davis is the director of the Scientific Advisory Board at the Open Medicine Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN# 26-4712664), whose goal is to fund and initiate research into chronic complex diseases. [16] Presently the foundation is invested in The End ME/CFS Project, which aims to fast-track research for a cure for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). [17]

In April 2019, a notable result was reported; a test of blood without red cells (white cells in plasma), identified ME/CFS patients from healthy people with 100% accuracy in a small sample, 20 patients and 20 healthy people. [18] [19] [20] The test used a biotechnological device designed by Davis and his team, which is called the "nanoneedle".

“The small device that Davis and his colleagues created was originally developed to detect changes in electrical signals when cancer cells were exposed to different treatments.”, as described in Stat News. [19] it was used to test cells of ME/CFS patients, and in their first hypothesis, found it to be useful in distinguishing patients from healthy people. People with this disease are described as not using energy well and taking a long time to recover from energy expenditure; “the researchers decided to mimic this by stressing cells from 20 healthy controls and 20 ME/CFS patients by exposing them to increased levels of salt.” [19] Rahim Esfandyarpour, lead author of the paper, said “When they [cells from ME/CFS patients] face this new environment, their reaction is different than the reaction of healthy cells.” [19]

Davis's research became more urgent and important after Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that some COVID-19 survivors showed symptoms in line with those of ME/CFS. According to Fauci, "a considerable number" of COVID-19 survivors struggle with extreme exhaustion, memory lapses, and cognitive difficulties many months after they have been officially cleared as recovered. Davis is part of a high-level interagency work and research group with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health, the Veterans Administration, and the Department of Defense looking at the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and Long COVID. [7]

Family

Davis married Janet Dafoe in July 1969. [1] [8] Their son, Whitney Dafoe was born in 1983, followed by their daughter Ashley Davis. [1]

Whitney Dafoe became ill with severe ME/CFS around 2009, [8] declining from active and healthy in his career as a photographer to housebound, and by 2015 bed bound from this disease, unable to tolerate sounds and light, unable to do much at all, and eventually unable to eat, drink or speak. [21] [22] As his endurance decreased, Dafoe moved back home in May 2011. [8] His mother cut her work as a clinical psychologist to five hours a week to spend full time on his daily care as he continued declining in function, [8] while Davis continues his research career and helps with his son's daily care. Dafoe's need for treatment is the motivation for Davis to direct his medical and scientific research efforts toward this disease; he dropped all other projects in hand before his son became so ill. [17] [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

Rintatolimod, sold under the tradename Ampligen, is a medication intended for treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). There is some evidence it may improve some ME/CFS symptoms.

The Solve ME/CFS Initiative is an American nonprofit that does research and advocacy for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), Long COVID, and other post-infectious diseases. Their stated mission is to assist research into ways to diagnose, treat, or cure these conditions. They also advocate for increased awareness, public funding of research, and access to medical care for patients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of ME/CFS</span> Review of the topic

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) has a long history with an evolution in medical understanding, diagnoses and social perceptions.

Management of ME/CFS focusses on symptoms management, as no treatments that address the root cause of the illness are available. Pacing, or regulating one's activities to avoid triggering worse symptoms, is the most common management strategy for post-exertional malaise. Clinical management varies widely, with many patients receiving combinations of therapies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Controversies related to ME/CFS</span> Controversies and issues related to ME/CFS

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is an illness with a history of controversy. Although it is classified as an organic disease, it was historically assumed to be psychosocial, and a minority of medical professionals still hold this view. The pathophysiology of ME/CFS remains unclear, there exists many competing diagnostic criteria, and some proposed treatments are controversial. There is a lack of awareness about the condition, which has led to substantiated accusations of patient neglect and harm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinical descriptions of ME/CFS</span> Case definitions of the illness

Clinical descriptions of ME/CFS vary. Different groups have produced sets of diagnostic criteria that share many similarities. The biggest differences between criteria are whether post-exertional malaise (PEM) is required, and the number of symptoms needed.

Graded exercise therapy (GET) is a programme of physical activity that starts very slowly and gradually increases over time, intended as a treatment for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Most public health bodies, including the CDC and NICE, consider it ineffective, and its safety is disputed. However, GET still enjoys support among a minority of clinicians and organizations.

David Sheffield Bell is an American physician who has done extensive research on the clinical aspects of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). He has also conducted evaluations and research in pediatric ME/CFS and written numerous articles about the condition.

Daniel Peterson is an American physician in private practice in the state of Nevada, and has been described as a "pioneer" in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). He graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, in 1976 and was an intern and resident at the University of Utah Medical Center from 1976 to 1979. In 1979, he became a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is president of Sierra Internal Medicine of Incline Village, established in 1981.

Dr. José Gilberto Montoya is a prominent researcher known for his contributions to the field of infectious diseases, particularly in the area of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and the role of infectious agents in its development. His research has shed light on the potential involvement of pathogens and immune dysregulation in the pathophysiology of CFS. He was a Professor of Medicine in Infectious Disease at the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he led Stanford's Initiative on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. He has worked on a wide variety of projects, including research focused on the efficacy of new smallpox vaccines. Additionally, he was the founder and co-director of the Immunocompromised Host Service and works at the Positive Care Clinic at Stanford. He is originally from Cali, Colombia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome</span> Chronic medical condition

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious long-term illness. People with ME/CFS experience a profound fatigue that does not go away with rest, sleep issues and problems with memory or concentration. They are able to do much less than before they became ill. Further common symptoms include dizziness, nausea and pain. The hallmark symptom is a worsening of the illness hours to days after minor physical or mental activity. This "crash" can last hours to several months.

Rosamund Vallings is a medical doctor, known as one of the leading authorities on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Post-exertional malaise</span> Worsening of symptoms with activity

Post-exertional malaise (PEM), sometimes referred to as post-exertional symptom exacerbation (PESE) or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), is a worsening of symptoms that occurs after minimal exertion. It is the hallmark symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and common in long COVID and fibromyalgia. PEM is often severe enough to be disabling, and is triggered by ordinary activities that healthy people tolerate. Typically, it begins 12–48 hours after the activity that triggers it, and lasts for days, but this is highly variable and may persist much longer. Management of PEM is symptom-based, and patients are recommended to pace their activities to avoid triggering PEM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maureen Hanson</span> American molecular biologist

Maureen Hanson is an American molecular biologist and Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She is a joint member of the Section of Plant Biology and Director of the Center for Enervating Neuroimmune Disease. Her research concerns gene expression in chloroplasts and mitochondria, photosynthesis, and the molecular basis of the disease Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

<i>The Puzzle Solver</i> Nonfiction book about ME/CFS

The Puzzle Solver: A Scientist's Desperate Quest to Cure the Illness that Stole His Son is a book by Tracie White with scientist Ronald W. Davis about Davis's efforts to cure his son Whitney Dafoe, who has very severe myalgic encephalomyelitis, also called chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). The book was published on January 5, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DecodeME</span> Genetic study on ME/CFS

DecodeME is an ongoing genome-wide association study searching for genetic risk factors for ME/CFS. With a planned recruitment of 25,000 patients, it is expected to be the largest such study to date. Recruitment closed on 15 November 2023 and results are expected in 2024.

The Open Medicine Foundation (OMF) is a US-based charity that funds research into the illnesses myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and long COVID.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2-day CPET</span> Medical test for post-exertional malaise

A 2-day CPET is a cardiopulmonary exercise test given on two successive days to measure the effect of post-exertional malaise (PEM) on a patient's ability to exercise. PEM is a cardinal symptom of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and is common in long COVID as well.

Andrew Melvin Ramsay (1901–1990) was a British physician, who is known for his research and advocacy on myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), a chronic disease causing muscle weakness and cognitive dysfunction. Ramsay worked as a consultant at the Royal Free Hospital in London during a mysterious 1955 disease outbreak of what later became known as ME. He studied the disease and similar outbreaks elsewhere. Work by Ramsay showed that although ME seldom caused death, the disease could be highly disabling.

Carmen Scheibenbogen is a German immunologist who is the acting director of the Institute for Medical Immunology of the Charité university hospital in Berlin. She specialises in hematology, oncology and immunology. She leads the Outpatient Clinic for Immunodeficiency and the Fatigue Centre at the Charité hospital. She is one of the few doctors specialised in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in Germany, and also researches long COVID.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Happy 75th Birthday to Scientist Ronald W. Davis, PhD". Open Medicine Foundation (video). July 12, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Past Luminary Awards". PMWC 2019 Silicon Valley Luminary & Pioneer Awards. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "2011 Gruber Genetics Prize: Ronald W. Davis". Gruber Foundation at Yale. 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Genome Technology Center: History". Stanford Medicine. Palo Alto, California. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Center Publications – Genome Technology Center". Stanford University School of Medicine. December 12, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Allan, Nicole (October 23, 2013). "Who Will Tomorrow's Historians Consider Today's Greatest Inventors?". The Atlantic.
  7. 1 2 3 Haas, Michaela (January 2, 2021). "A geneticist's biggest challenge: Curing his own son". Al Jazeera. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Prior, Ryan (May 13, 2019). "He pioneered technology that fueled the Human Genome Project. Now his greatest challenge is curing his own son". CNN. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Ronald W. Davis". National Academy of Sciences member directory. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Ronald W. Davis Honors and Awards". Stanford Medicine Genome Technology Center. May 15, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  11. ↑ University of Pittsburgh University Marketing Communications Webteam. "Ronald W. Davis, PhD – Dickson Prize in Medicine – University of Pittsburgh".
  12. ↑ Mertz, J. E.; Davis, R. W. (1972). "Cleavage of DNA by RI restriction endonuclease generates cohesive ends". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 69 (11): 3370–3374. Bibcode:1972PNAS...69.3370M. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.11.3370 . PMC   389773 . PMID   4343968.
  13. ↑ Schena, M.; Shalon, D.; Davis, R. W.; Brown, P. O. (1995). "Quantitative monitoring of gene expression patterns with a complementary DNA microarray". Science. 270 (5235): 467–470. Bibcode:1995Sci...270..467S. doi:10.1126/science.270.5235.467. PMID   7569999. S2CID   6720459.
  14. ↑ Lashkari DA, DeRisi JL, McCusker JH, Namath AF, Gentile C, Hwang SY, Brown PO, Davis RW (1997). "Yeast microarrays for genome wide parallel genetic and gene expression analysis". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 94 (24): 13057–13062. Bibcode:1997PNAS...9413057L. doi: 10.1073/pnas.94.24.13057 . PMC   24262 . PMID   9371799.
  15. ↑ Botstein, D.; White, R.; Skolnick, M.; Davis, R. (1980). "Construction of a genetic linkage map in man using restriction fragment length polymorphisms". American Journal of Human Genetics. 32 (3): 314–331. PMC   1686077 . PMID   6247908.
  16. ↑ "Scientific Advisory Board". Open Medicine Foundation. Agoura Hills, California. 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  17. 1 2 "The End ME/CFS Project". Open Medicine Foundation. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  18. ↑ "What does the nanoneedle research mean for ME/CFS patients?". Open Medical Foundation (video). April 29, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Chadradhar, Shraddha (April 30, 2019). "An experimental test may help confirm cases of chronic fatigue syndrome". Stat News. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  20. ↑ Esfandyarpour, R.; Kashi, A.; Nemat-Gorgani, M.; Wilhelmy, J.; Davis, R. W. (April 29, 2019). "A nanoelectronics-blood-based diagnostic biomarker for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 116 (21): 10250–10257. Bibcode:2019PNAS..11610250E. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1901274116 . PMC   6535016 . PMID   31036648.
  21. ↑ "Invisible Illness – Stories of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". Palo Alto Online (video). July 10, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Finding an ME/CFS Biomarker, Ronald Davis, Stanford University". ME/CFS Alert 109 (video). September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
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