Episode 132 - Dr. Francis Collins

Above The Basement - Boston Music and Conversation

National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins is a rock-star of science who was instrumental in the identification of multiple genes for hereditary disease including cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s and neurofibromatosis.

He led the Human Genome Project in the 1990's that resulted in the mapping of the entire human genome sequence in 2003.

In 2009 he was nominated by President Obama to be Director of the Nationals Institutes of Health, with unanimous confirmation by the Senate. Since that time, he has boosted research efforts in Alzheimer’s disease, innovative brain science, set the stage for precision medicine, and many other areas.

We had the great honor to sit down with Dr. Collins and talk about scientific surprises and musical exploration, about the importance of collaboration and listening, and about how music, family and spirituality seem to travel in similar circles.

Song List:

Song 1: Hallelujah / Leonard Cohen, performed by: Francis Collins, Renee Fleming and the National Symphony Orchestra - 2017 Song 2: New River Train / The Ward Family of Galax, performed by: The Monroe Brothers - 1936 Song 3: The Times They Are A Changin’ / Bob Dylan, performed by: Francis Collins, Joe Perry, Rudy Tanzi - 2009 Song 4: Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 55 “Eroica” 2nd movement / Ludwig van Beethoven, Berlin Philharmonic with Herbert von Karajan - 1986 Song 5: The What Makes Scientist Cry Blues, performed by Francis Collins, Joe Perry, Rudy Tanzi - 2009 Song 6: Disease Don’t Care / Francis Collins, performed by Francis Collins - Live at the NIH - 2019