Mary-Claire King to receive Public Welfare Medal

The National Academy of Sciences today announced that it is presenting its 2025 Public Welfare Medal to Mary-Claire King for her pioneering genetic research and its transformative application to human rights.

King is a professor of medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, and of genome sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

The medal is the academy’s most prestigious award, established in 1914 and presented annually to honor extraordinary use of science for the public good. The Public Welfare Medal will be awarded on April 27 in Washington, D.C.  The award ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. PDT and will be webcast live. Register for the livestream.

King will be recognized for leveraging the power of genome sciences throughout her career to promote justice around the globe.

"Mary-Claire King’s groundbreaking contributions to genetics have not only advanced our scientific understanding but have also had a profound impact on human rights and social justice,” said Nancy Andrews, the National Academy of Sciences Home Secretary. “Her pioneering use of mitochondrial DNA to reunite families torn apart by violence and repression exemplifies the power of science to serve humanity.”