John M. Opitz | |
|---|---|
 Opitz in 2017 | |
| Born | John Marius Opitz August 15, 1935 Hamburg, Germany |
| Died | August 31, 2023 (aged 88) Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Nationality | German-American |
| Citizenship | Naturalized Citizen |
| Education | BA - University of Iowa MD - University of Iowa |
| Occupation | Pediatrics |
| Known for | FG Syndrome
Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS) American Journal of Medical Genetics |
| Medical career | |
| Profession | Medical Geneticist |
| Institutions | University of Wisconsin
Montana State University Shodair Hospital University of Utah |
| Research | Genetics
Pathology Developmental Biology |
| Awards | William Allan Award of ASHG
Medal of Honor of the DGofH (German Society of Hum Genet) German Academy of Science Leopoldina |
John M. Opitz (August 15, 1935 – August 31, 2023) was a German-American medical geneticist and professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He is best known for rediscovering the concept of the developmental field in humans (first enunciated by Hans Spemann in amphibians) and for his detection and delineation of many genetic syndromes, several now known as the "Opitz syndromes" including Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome (SLOS), Opitz–Kaveggia syndrome (FGS1), Opitz G/BBB syndrome, Bohring–Opitz syndrome, and other autosomal and X-linked conditions. He is founder of the Wisconsin Clinical Genetics Center, the American Journal of Medical Genetics, and was a cofounder of the American College and American Board of Medical Genetics.