A native of County Galway, John Greally currently serves as professor of genetics, medicine, and pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he is currently a driving force in the implementation of new ways to perform human epigenetics research.

Greally was first educated at the National University of Ireland in his home county and subsequently undertook an internship in medicine and surgery there. He is married to fellow honoree Geraldine McGinty. Since arriving in the U.S., Greally has received multiple awards for his services to his field, such as the 2015 – 2016 Litchfield lectureship under the University of Oxford title. He was made a fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics in 2013.

Greally continues to play a role on his alma mater’s governing body, an experience that has confirmed for him that “we can create a new way of exploring the definition of Irishness, based on the genomes of the people living on the island of Ireland and scattered overseas. By understanding this genetic heritage,” he says, “we will reveal the commonalities and diversity of Irish people, a complexity that should be celebrated.” ♦