Dean Hamer
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Dean Hamer (; born May 29, 1951) is an American
geneticist A geneticist is a biologist or physician who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer. Geneticists may perform general research on genetic process ...
,
author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...
, and
filmmaker Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...
. He is known for his research on the role of genetics in sexual orientation and for a series of popular books and films that have changed scientific and public understandings and perceptions of human sexuality and gender.


Education and career

Born in
Montclair, New Jersey Montclair is a Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a commercial and cultural hub of North Jersey and a diverse ...
, Hamer obtained his BA at Trinity College in
Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
, and his PhD from
Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
. He was an independent researcher at the
National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. It was founded in 1887 and is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Service ...
for 35 years, where he was the Chief of Gene Structure and Regulation Section at the U.S. National Cancer Institute; upon retirement in 2011 he was designated ''Scientist Emeritus''. Hamer has won numerous awards including the Trinity College Thompson History Prize, Maryland Distinguished Young Scientist Award, Ariens Kappers Award for Neurobiology, ''New York Times'' book-of-the year author, and an Emmy Award.


Biotechnology research

Hamer invented the first method for introducing new genes into animal cells using
SV40 SV40 is an abbreviation for simian vacuolating virus 40 or simian virus 40, a polyomavirus that is found in both monkeys and humans. Like other polyomaviruses, SV40 is a DNA virus that is found to cause tumors in humans and animals, but most ofte ...
vector Vector most often refers to: * Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction * Disease vector, an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematics a ...
s while a graduate student at Harvard Medical School. This approach was used to produce a variety of biomedical products including human
growth hormone Growth hormone (GH) or somatotropin, also known as human growth hormone (hGH or HGH) in its human form, is a peptide hormone that stimulates growth, cell reproduction, and cell regeneration in humans and other animals. It is thus important in ...
and a vaccine for
Hepatitis B Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the '' hepatitis B virus'' (HBV) that affects the liver; it is a type of viral hepatitis. It can cause both acute and chronic infection. Many people have no symptoms during an initial infection. ...
, resulting in 4 US
patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...
s. At NIH, Hamerʻs lab initially focused on the
metallothionein Metallothionein (MT) is a family of cysteine-rich, low molecular weight (MW ranging from 500 to 14000 Da) proteins. They are localized to the membrane of the Golgi apparatus. MTs have the capacity to bind both physiological (such as zinc, copp ...
gene system. They elucidated the mechanism of induction of yeast metallothionein by copper ions, one of the first eukaryotic gene regulatory systems to be understood at the molecular level and a useful method for regulating therapeutic protein production.


Human sexual orientation and behavior genetics

In the 1990s Hamer began studies on the genetics of human behavior, which led to the first molecular evidence for genes that influence human sexual orientation. His research group's first paper, published in ''Science'' in 1993, reported that the maternal but not paternal male relatives of gay men had increased rates of same-sex orientation, suggesting the possibility of sex-linked transmission in a portion of the population. A
genetic linkage Genetic linkage is the tendency of Nucleic acid sequence, DNA sequences that are close together on a chromosome to be inherited together during the meiosis phase of sexual reproduction. Two Genetic marker, genetic markers that are physically near ...
analysis of DNA samples from these families showed that gay brothers had an increased probability of sharing polymorphic markers on the subtelomeric region of the long arm of the
X chromosome The X chromosome is one of the two sex chromosomes in many organisms, including mammals, and is found in both males and females. It is a part of the XY sex-determination system and XO sex-determination system. The X chromosome was named for its u ...
, Xq28, providing statistically significant evidence for linkage to the sexual orientation phenotype. This finding was replicated in two other studies in the United States whereas a study in Canada found contrary results; meta-analysis of all data available at that time suggested that Xq28 has a significant but not exclusive effect. Subsequently, a genomewide scan by Hamerʻs group revealed additional regions on
autosomes An autosome is any chromosome that is not a sex chromosome. The members of an autosome pair in a diploid cell have the same morphology, unlike those in allosomal (sex chromosome) pairs, which may have different structures. The DNA in autosomes i ...
that were moderately linked to male sexual orientation. Hamer's results were robustly replicated in 2012 in a large, comprehensive multi-center genetic linkage study of male sexual orientation conducted by several independent groups of researchers. Analysis of 409 pairs of gay brothers with over 300,000
single-nucleotide polymorphism In genetics and bioinformatics, a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP ; plural SNPs ) is a germline substitution of a single nucleotide at a specific position in the genome. Although certain definitions require the substitution to be present in a ...
markers confirmed the Xq28 linkage by two-point and multipoint LOD score mapping. Significant linkage was also detected in the pericentromeric region of chromosome 8, overlapping with one of the regions detected in the Hamer lab's previous genomewide study. The authors concluded that "our findings, taken in context with previous work, suggest that genetic variation in each of these regions contributes to development of the important psychological trait of male sexual orientation." In August 2019, a
genome-wide association study In genomics, a genome-wide association study (GWA study, or GWAS), is an observational study of a genome-wide set of Single-nucleotide polymorphism, genetic variants in different individuals to see if any variant is associated with a trait. GWA s ...
of 493,001 individuals concluded that hundreds or thousands of genetic variants underlie same-sex sexual behavior in both sexes, but in contrast to linkage studies they found no excess of signal on Xq28 or the rest of the X chromosome. This study was questioned on account of its reliance on a dichotomous ever/never measure that lumped together predominantly heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual individuals, including those who only experimented once with a same-sex partner, possibly resulting in misleading associations to personality traits. Hamer said that the findings of the 2019 study do not reveal any biological pathways for sexual orientation, but stated he hoped it would be the first of many to come. Hamer's findings provoked extensive public reaction, often based on misunderstanding of the science, which led to his interest in explaining the data to a wide audience through a book written in collaboration with a journalist. Social science surveys have shown that research on the origins of sexual orientation has a strong positive influence on people's attitudes of acceptance and inclusion of LGBT people. Hamer and colleagues also investigated the genetic roots of anxiety and found that a promoter region polymorphism in the gene for the serotonin transporter, which is the target of antidepressant drugs such as
Prozac Fluoxetine, sold under the brand name Prozac, among others, is an antidepressant medication of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class used for the treatment of major depressive disorder, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive disor ...
, is associated with mood and personality. This finding has been extensively replicated and extended and its activity has been confirmed by direct brain imaging studies. In 2004, Hamer used data from ongoing behavioral genetics studies in his lab to explore the possibility of genetic influences on spirituality. In ''The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes,'' he proposed that a quantitative measure of self-transcendence is partially heritable and may be correlated to a specific gene,
VMAT2 The solute carrier family 18 member 2 (SLC18A2) also known as vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''SLC18A2'' gene. VMAT2 is an integral membrane protein that transports monoamines—particul ...
, involved in monamine metabolism. Hamer's speculations on the possible role of genetics in
religious experience A religious experience (sometimes known as a spiritual experience, sacred experience, mystical experience) is a subjectivity, subjective experience which is interpreted within a religious framework. The concept originated in the 19th century, a ...
were featured in a cover story in ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine.


HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention

Hamer's lab developed several biotechnological strategies to treat and reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDS. As a means to reduce the latent pools of virus responsible for viral persistence, they discovered novel chemical agent to induce integrated virus, and molecularly-engineered immunotoxins to destroy the infected cells. They also collaborated with Osel, Inc. on a novel "live microbial
microbicide An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms (microbicide) or stops their growth (bacteriostatic agent). Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they are used to treat. For example, antibiotics are used aga ...
" approach to HIV/AIDS prevention. By genetically engineering normal vaginal bacteria to produce a potent anti-HIV peptide, significant protection against viral infection was provided in a durable and obtainable fashion for up to one month. The methodology was shown to be applicable to both rectal and vaginal use and is in the initial stages of preclinical testing.


Films and media

Hamer turned to documentary filmmaking to address complex scientific and social issues often overlooked by the mainstream media. In 2005, he and partner
Joe Wilson Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson Sr. (born July 31, 1947) is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. representative for since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, his district stretches from Columbia to the Georgia–South Caro ...
formed Qwaves with the mission of producing "insightful and provocative films that emanate from the voices of those on the outside and compel us to question and to act." Their short films won multiple awards including winner of the PBS Independent Lens Shorts Festival and Seeds of Tolerance Award. '' Out in the Silence'', the first feature film from Qwaves, documented the controversy that was ignited by Hamer and Wilson's wedding announcement in Wilson's conservative small hometown in Pennsylvania The film was supported by the Sundance Documentary Film Program and won an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
for achievement in documentary. The Out in the Silence Youth Activism Award was initiated in 2011 to highlight the contributions of young people to achieving respect, inclusion and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. In 2011, Hamer and Wilson moved to Hawaiʻi to begin a series of films about
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
lives and voices and long tradition of acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Their feature documentary '' Kumu Hina'', about
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
native Hawaiian teacher and cultural icon Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, was supported by
ITVS ITVS (Independent Television Service) is a service in the United States which funds and presents documentaries on public television through distribution by PBS and American Public Television, new media projects on the Internet, and the weekly ...
, Pacific Islanders in Communications and the
Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a $25,000 (about $550,000 in 2023) gift from Edsel Ford. ...
and won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary and the
Independent Lens ''Independent Lens'' is a weekly television series airing on PBS featuring documentary films made by independent filmmakers. Past seasons of ''Independent Lens'' were hosted by Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Susan Sarandon, Edie Falco, Terrenc ...
Audience Award on
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
In 2017, Hamer and Wilson, with Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu as producer, released '' Leitis in Waiting a''nd ''Lady Eva'', which documented the lives of transgender women in the conservative South Pacific Kingdom of Tonga. This was followed in 2019 by ''The Rogers'', about transgender men in Samoa. These films became part of a campaign to decriminalize same-sex relationships across the Pacific. Hamer, Wilson and Wong-Kalu continued their collaboration in 2020 with the animated short film ''
Kapaemahu Kapaemahu refers to four stones on Waikīkī, Waikīkī Beach that were placed there as tribute to four legendary māhū, mahu (third-gender individuals) who brought the healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaiʻi centuries ago. It is also the name o ...
,'' based on the hidden history of four stones on Waikiki Beach placed there as a tribute to four legendary mahu who first brought the healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii. It premiered and won the Special Jury Prize at the
Tribeca Film Festival The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
and was shortlisted for an Oscar as Best Animated Short Film at the
93rd Academy Awards The 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021, at Union Station in Los Angeles. The ceremony was held on April 25, 2021 ...
. The animated film was followed by a children's book published by Kokila, a PBS feature documentary, a multimedia exhibition at the Bishop Museum, permanent display at the Hawai'i Convention center, and inclusion in new interpretative signage at the Kapaemahu monument in Waikiki. The team's most recent film is Aikane, an animated short based on the Hawaiian term for intimate friends of the same sex. It won two Academy Award-qualifying film festival awards and was nationally distributed by
Conde Nast Conde is the Ibero-Romance form of "count" (Latin ''comitatus''). It may refer to: * Counts in Iberia *List of countships in Portugal Places United States * Conde, South Dakota, a city France * Condé-sur-l'Escaut (or simply 'Condé'), a com ...
on the ''Them'' platform. In 2024, Hamer initiated a multimedia community engagement and storytelling effort on the "Queer Histories of Hawai'i." Funded by the
Mellon Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, commonly known as the Mellon Foundation, is a New York City-based private foundation with wealth accumulated by Andrew Mellon of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the product of the 1969 merger ...
, the project aims to document and memorialize gender and sexual diversity across the multicultural landscape of the Hawaiian islands. Hamer is a frequent guest on TV documentaries and news shows including ''
Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...
'', ''
Nightline ''Nightline'' (or ''ABC News Nightline'') is ABC News (United States), ABC News' Late night television in the United States, late-night television news program broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC in the United States with a franchis ...
'' and ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
''. He is featured in the
Barbara Walters Barbara Jill Walters (September 25, 1929December 30, 2022) was an American broadcast journalist and television personality. Known for her interviewing ability and popularity with viewers, she appeared as a host of numerous television programs, ...
' special ''Heaven'' and
Bill Maher William MaherStated on ''Finding Your Roots'', January 12, 2016, PBS; on a series that lists "Jr." and "Sr." distinctions, Bill Maher's birth name was listed simply as William Maher, while his father was William Aloysius Maher Jr., and his pa ...
documentary '' Religulous'', and has been profiled in ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine.


Scholarly influence

According to
Google Scholar Google Scholar is a freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text or metadata of Academic publishing, scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines. Released in Beta release, beta in November 2004, th ...
, Hamer's works have been cited over 33,000 times and he has an
h-index The ''h''-index is an author-level metric that measures both the productivity and citation impact of the publications, initially used for an individual scientist or scholar. The ''h''-index correlates with success indicators such as winning t ...
of 72 as of August 2020.


Books

* '' The Science of Desire: The Search for the Gay Gene and the Biology of Behavior'' (Simon and Schuster, 1994) * ''Living with Our Genes: Why They Matter More Than You Think'' with Peter Copeland (Anchor, 1999) * ''The God Gene: How Faith Is Hardwired into our Genes'' (Doubleday, 2004)


Films

* '' Out in the Silence'' (Dir Joe Wilson, Dean Hamer, 2009)
WPSU website
* '' Kumu Hina"'' (Dir. Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, 2014)
PBS website
* '' Leitis in Waiting'' (Dir Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Prod Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, 2018)
PBS website
* ''
Kapaemahu Kapaemahu refers to four stones on Waikīkī, Waikīkī Beach that were placed there as tribute to four legendary māhū, mahu (third-gender individuals) who brought the healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaiʻi centuries ago. It is also the name o ...
'' (Dir Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, 2020)
Kanak Pakipika website


See also

*
Biology and sexual orientation The relationship between biology and sexual orientation is a subject of ongoing research. While scientists do not know the exact cause of sexual orientation, they theorize that it is caused by a complex interplay of Genetics, genetic, hormonal, a ...
*
Serotonin transporter The serotonin transporter (SERT or 5-HTT) also known as the sodium-dependent serotonin transporter and solute carrier family 6 member 4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC6A4 gene. SERT is a type of monoamine transporter protein t ...


References


External links


Dean Hamer's website

D.C. scientist breaks new lead on gay gene

Is God In Our Genes?
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamer, Dean American LGBTQ film directors 1951 births Living people American agnostics American geneticists Harvard Medical School alumni Writers on LGBTQ topics American LGBTQ scientists LGBTQ people from New Jersey Writers from Montclair, New Jersey American LGBTQ writers 21st-century American LGBTQ people