Birth
James van Gundia Neel was born in Hamilton, Ohio on March 22, 1915.[1] Also known by 'Jim', he was born to Hiram Alexander Neel and Elizabeth Minette Van Gundia Neel. The father, Hiram, died of pneumonia when James was just ten years old. The house that Jim was born into was not wealthy, rather he was from a middle-class background that prevented him from being assured of a college education. However, he later obtained a scholarship to go to the College of Wooster to study Drosophila with the renowned genectisits, Warren Spencer.
Education
James attended a few different institutions in his life. He attended the College of Wooster with a degree in biology in 1935 and went on to receive his Ph.D. at the University of Rochester. At the College of Wooster, he worked on Drosophila[2] with Warren Spencer.
In 1956, Neel established the University of Michigan Department of Genetics, the first department of human genetics at a medical school in the United States. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1971. He was also inducted into the U.S. Army[3] and was involved in many government, civil, and international organization works.
Marriage
During the 27th year of James's life, he was in pursuit of his medical degree at the University of Rochester. He happened to meet Priscilla Baxter and they later got married in 1943 on May 6th.[4] Priscilla was a graduate of Smith School of Architecture in Cambridge Massachusetts. She worked as a designer of mechanics at Stromberg-Carlson Company.[5] Their marriage resulted in traveling, spending time with relatives, enjoying arts, building relationships at work with colleagues, and spending time with their three children, whom are: Frances, James Junior, and Alexander.
Death
Neel died in Ann Arbor Michigan where he was a part of the University of Michigan. He died at the age of 84 on February 1, 2000. His cause of death was cancer, and was at home at his time of passing. Shortly after his death, an attempt to discredit him and his work was made. His friends and colleagues however made their best attempts to clear their passed friends name to replenish his honor.
Controversy
Theories and Allegations
Neel first found the inheritance of sickle cell anemia through its genetic basis. This was the first step to learning all of what we know genetically about sickle cell disease. He found that the sickle cell trait itself was heterozygous and the disease was expressed when the gene was recessive homozygous. This was very difficult to figure out at the time with the current knowledge and while he did not find the relationship between malaria and sickle cell himself his work did provide the foundation for it being discovered.
Neel developed the "thrifty gene hypothesis" that paleolithic humans, facing long periods of hunger punctuated by brief periods of food surplus, would have adapted genetically by processing fats and carbohydrates more efficiently during feast periods, to be physiologically resilient during periods of famine. Neel believed that this genetic adaptation might have created a predisposition to type 2 diabetes mellitus. This theory was later discredited by research conducted by Neel himself.
Darkness in El Dorado
A journalist by the name of Patrick Tierny published information that discredited James in relation to his work in the Amazon with the Yanomami population. He allegated many of things which among them were that he studied the genome of the Yanomami to compare with mutations among the survivors in the atomic bombing in Japan. To that, it was said that unethical practices were performed with the Yanomami population and that radioactive iodine injections were used to find leadership genes from the headmen of Yanomami. These allegations were later to be found without evidence from various examiners.[7]
Neel was especially focused on comprehending the human genome in an evolutionary light. This concept was addressed in his fieldwork, alongside cultural anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon among the Yanomamo and Xavante in Brazil and Venezuela. His involvement in this fieldwork came under scrutiny in the Darkness in El Dorado controversy, a scandal in anthropology that broke in 2000 after his death involving numerous allegations of unethical research that threatened serious damage to Neel's reputation. The accusation is that Neel deliberately injected South American natives with virulent measles vaccine to spark off an epidemic that killed hundreds and probably thousands. However, these claims against him were never substantiated with any evidence, and it was found later that the measles outbreak predated his arrival. Unfortunately, the media saw this as an opportunity for a big story and ran with it giving James's name a darkness associated with it. Even the original maker of the measles vaccine Dr. Samuel L. Katz tried to shoot down the allegations claiming that they were in fact not true but was unsuccessful in saving his name before the media tarnished it.[8] The majority of the allegations in Darkness in El Dorado have since been found to have been fabricated by the author.
Among majority allegations against James, there is a memo to the Neel family that was made in hopes to clear James of all allegations. This can be found here: https://dwhume.com/darkness-in-el-dorado-controversy/0167.htm
Another link to how James conducted scientific collaboration in Latin America: https://www.scielo.br/j/gmb/a/MFFkDDXQ9B45Dd3pP4hjRtn/?lang=en
Link to picture of James with Yanomamo men in South America: https://diglib.amphilsoc.org/islandora/object/graphics%3A1624
James V. Neel was concerned with nuclear fallout and radiation damage, participating in many prominent organizations to broaden his knowledge and address crucial issues. He was active in the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF). He testified several times before committees and sub-committees of the United States Congress as an expert witness regarding the long-term effects of radiation on human populations.
He was also involved with the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the National Research Council (NRC), the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
In 1947, Neel was instrumental in the founding of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC), which subsequently evolved into the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF). The combined American-Japanese research group ABCC/RERF was entrusted with examining the long-term health impacts of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Neel's work concentrated on examining the genetic effects of radiation exposure on atomic bomb survivors and their progeny. He carried out a great deal of research on the impact of radiation on DNA, specifically how it affects chromosome shape and mutations. Through his studies, radiation protection recommendations were developed and the basis for understanding the genetic dangers linked with ionizing radiation exposure was laid.
Editorial Boards of Human Genetic and Biological Journals
Blood, Advisory Board from 1950-1961.
Perspectives in Biology and Medicine from 1956 to present.
Life Sciences from 1963-1970.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences from 1967-1972.
Behavioral Genetics, Associate Editor from 1963-1970.
Mutation Research from 1964-1975.
Journal of Molecular Evolution from 1969-1980.
Journal of Human Evolution from 1970-1982.
Clinical Genetics from 1970 to present.
Genetic Epidemiology from 1984 to present.
Gene Geography from 1984 to present.
Blood Cells, Molecules, and Diseases from 1994 to present.
Among over 400 other articles or books he has written, co-authored, or edited.
Memberships
Professional
Phi Beta Kappa
Sigma Xi
University of Michigan Chapter Council (1953-1955), President (1971-1973)
Alpha Omega Alpha
Genetics Society of America
American Society of Human Genetics, Board of Directions (1968-1970)
American Federation for Clinical Research
American Society of Naturalists
American Genetic Association
Japan Society of Human Genetics
Brazilian Society of Genetics
Brazilian Academy of Sciences
International Genetic Epidemiology Society, President (1991-1993)
Learned Societies
American College of Physicians 1960
Laureate Award 1987
Association of American Physicians 1962
National Academy of Science 1963, Council 1970-1973
National Philosophical Society 1965
American Academy of Arts and Sciences 1972
National Academy of Sciences 1972
Royal Society of Medicine 1992
American College of Medical Genetics, Honorary Fellow 1993
Despite his unwavering commitment to professionalism and lack of desire for personal attention, James V. Neel managed to achieve rapid scientific recognition and eventually acquired the majority of significant academic accolades available to biomedical scientists. These included membership in the National Academy of Sciences since 1963, as well as awards such as the Lasker and Allen Medals and the National Medal of Science. He provided a great deal of national and international advising service over the years.
Specific Awards
1960 Lasker Award American Public Health Association
Allan Award of the American Society of Human Genetics
1975 National Medal of Science
1984 Michigan Scientist of the year
1991 George and Marie Andros Lecture of the University of Chicago School of Medicine
1995 James D. Bruce Award of the American College of Physicians
Among others.
Recognition
Annual James V. Neel Lectureship
Many scientists across the nation and world recognize Dr. Neel's work as a pioneer in human genetics. The University of Michigan holds an annual lecture in honor of him. This year the university invited Eric Green M.D. Ph.D to deliver a speech about "Creating the Fourth Chapter of Human Genomics". Within this lectureship there is an opportunity for individual to show case their work within a poster presentation and reception section of this event which is held directly after the lecture.
Lecturers over the years:
- 2023 Eric Green: National Human Genome Research Institute Director, M.D. Ph.D from Washington University in 1987
- 2022 Hopi E. Hoekstra: Ph.D from Washington University in 2000, Currently a Harvard University Professor of Departments of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology and Molecular & Cellular Biology
- 2021 Stuart H. Orkin: M.D. from Harvard Medical School, Distinguished Pediatrics Professor at Harvard Medical School
- 2020 Canceled
- 2019 James Lupski
- 2018 Uta Francke
- 2017 Neil J. Risch
- 2016 Andrew G. Clark
- 2015 Haig H. Kazazian, Jr.
- 2014 Richard P. Lifton
- 2013 Huntington F. Willard
- 2012 Mary-Claire King
- 2011 David Page
- 2010 David Botstein
- 2009 Aravinda Chakravarti
- 2008 Janet Rowley
- 2007 Joseph Goldstein
- 2006 Newton Morton
- 2005 Charles Scriver
- 2004 Arno Motulsky
- 2003 James Crow
- 2002 L.L. Cavalli-Sforza
- 2001 Jack Schull
You can find the lectures to watch here on the universities website: https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/human-genetics/tags/lectures
James V. Neel contributed significantly to the development of modern human genetics throughout his career.
His notable works include:
- 1949: "The Inheritance of Sickle Cell Anemia"- Published in Science 110: 64-66, this paper explored how a single gene mutation is responsible for the inheritance of sickle cell anemia. Neel's research and analysis supported the pattern of a mutation occurrence in the hemoglobin subunit beta (HHB gene) which is responsible for providing instructions for the creation of the protein beta-globin.[9] When this mutation occurs, red blood cells transform into a rigid, "sickle" shape that blocks blood vessels and leads to restriction of blood flow to tissue throughout the body. Neel also discussed how populations with higher rates of malaria correspond with higher rates of sickle cell disease.[10]
- 1967: "The Web of History and the Web of Life: Atomic Bombs, Inbreeding and Japanese Genes"- Published in the Michigan Quarterly Review 6:202-209, Neel discussed the aftermath of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.[11]He examined the genetic repercussions of radiation exposure on the Japanese population, highlighting the induced genetic mutations due to the atomic bombs. He also delved into how the genetic health of human populations was affected by cultural and societal influences. Neel's research interests aligned with his leadership role in the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC).[12]
- 1994: Physician to the Gene Pool: Genetic Lessons and Other Stories is a book written by James V. Neel, which was published by John Wiley and Sons in New York. In this work, Neel provided many insights into the world of human genetics through lessons and narratives. A collection of stories were intended to both amuse and educate readers about concepts and discoveries ranging from topics of inheritance patterns to consequences of genetic mutations.[13]
Overall Impact
James V. Neel was a pivotal figure in the development of human genetics due to his research pursuits, leadership roles, and enduring vestige within the scientific community. From his investigations into the genetic effects of radiation exposure after the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to his leadership in founding the Department of Genetics at the University of Michigan, Neel has had an undeniable influence in shaping genetic research. His work with Sickle Cell Anemia provided insights into the genetic basis of the disease and its prevalence in populations exposed to malaria.[14]
His prominence was further established by his membership to the National Academy of Sciences and the honor of multiple prestigious awards to recognize his groundbreaking contributions. Beyond his scientific achievements, Neel was an advocate for public health and stressed the importance of looking at genetic differences from an evolutionary angle. He made it known that we as a society should look at the bigger picture referencing genetic changes and genetic research should consider both biology and evolution.[14]
Through his legacy, Neel continues to shape the trajectory of genetic research in humans and inspires future geneticists.
