David Edward Comings was also the first to propose that the Tourette syndrome spectrum disorder was inherited as a polygenic (many genes) disorder and not as a single gene disorder.
MONROVIA, CA, May 17, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present David Edward Comings with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Comings celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
An educated and qualified individual in his profession, Dr. Comings obtained a Bachelor of Science in 1955 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1958 from the Northwestern University following coursework at the University of Illinois from 1951 to 1954. Shortly thereafter, he began his career as an intern in 1958, progressing to the post of a resident in internal medicine for Cook County Hospital in Chicago, IL until 1962. He served with the United States Army at Madigan General Hospital from 1992 to 1994. Following this he was a Fellow in Medical Genetics at the University of Washington, Seattle from 1994 to 1996. He was then appointed head of the Department of Medical Genetics at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte, CA, a position he held for the next 37 years. His early research concerned chromosome structure and the mechanisms of chromosome banding. In the early 1980s, after seeing several cases of Tourette syndrome, characterized by chronic motor and vocal tics, he switched his research interests to this complex disorder. He was a pioneer in showing that Tourette syndrome was a spectrum disorder genetically associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and other genetically influenced behavioral disorders. He was also the first to propose that the Tourette syndrome spectrum disorder was inherited as a polygenic (many genes) disorder and not as a single gene disorder.
He was editor of the American Journal of Human Genetics from 1978 to 1986 and in 1988, president of the American Society of Human Genetics. He was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Federation for Clinical Research, American Society for Cell Biology, American Society for Clinical Investigation, New York Academy of Sciences, Western Society for Clinical Research, Association of American Physicians and International Society of Psychiatric Genetics.
Dr. Comings was board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Clinical Genetics. He served on numerous national and international boards and committees including the NIH Genetics Study Section (1974-1978), Scientific Advisory Board, Hereditary Disease Foundation (1975-1983), Scientific Advisory Board, Neurofibromatosis Foundation (1984-1993), Member, External Review Board for the National Institutes of Health Intramural Program on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Technical Evaluation Conference: Human Genetic Research in Alcoholism (1986-1992), and many others. He was president of the City of Hope Medical Staff and the City of Hope Medical Group (178-1979). Dr. Comings has published 488 research articles and four books: Tourette Syndrome and Human Behavior, Search for the Tourette Syndrome and Human Behavior Genes, The Gene Bomb and Did Man Create God?
A testament to his career, Dr. Comings has been the recipient of multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health between 1967 to 1998. The highlight of his career was establishing the Comings Foundation, which is concerned with the pervasive effects of climate change and the correlation to global warming. Apart from his primary career responsibilities, Dr. Comings enjoys traveling and bird photography in his spare time.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Dr. Comings has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
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