The Researcher Who Didn’t Want to Know
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Nancy Wexler, aged 80 and living with Huntington’s disease, recently gifted a signed copy of her memoir, “My Life, My Science: Pursuing a Cure for Huntington’s Disease,” though she is now physically and verbally impaired by the illness.
- Huntington’s disease, a hereditary brain disorder that impairs movement and has no cure, affected Nancy’s family, including her mother and grandfather, while her sister Alice remains unaffected.
- Nancy led groundbreaking research in Venezuela that identified the gene responsible for Huntington’s, resulting in a blood test that allows at-risk individuals to determine if they will develop the disease.
- Her significant contributions to science have earned her multiple prestigious awards, including two Lasker prizes, recognizing her dedication to understanding and combating Huntington’s disease.
- Despite her current condition, Nancy’s lifelong commitment to Huntington’s research has profoundly impacted the scientific and patient communities.