[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 134 (Thursday, October 20, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E2141]]
                      TRIBUTE TO DR. EDMOND YUNIS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM DAVIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 20, 2005

  Mr. DAVIS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and to 
pay tribute to Dr. Edmond Yunis, a professor of pathology at Harvard 
Medical School, who was recently named the 2005 National Hispanic 
Scientist of the Year by the Museum of Science and Industry, MOSI, in 
Tampa, FL.
  Dr. Yunis is well-deserving of this prestigious national award as he 
has made significant contributions in scientific and medical research. 
This research includes the genetic mapping of human major 
histocompatibility complex, MHC, genes and their role in immune 
responses, aging, and autoimmune diseases. Dr. Yunis' laboratory work 
identifying genes also has been especially important for matching 
donors and recipients for organ and stem cell transplants.
  Dr. Yunis was born in Sincelejo, Colombia, and he received his M.D. 
from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in 1954. Dr. Yunis received 
his postdoctoral training in pathology at the University of Kansas, the 
University of Minnesota, and the Children's Hospital in Boston. He 
joined Harvard Medical School in 1976 as Professor of Pathology, and he 
became Chief of the Division of Immunogenetics of the Dana Farber 
Cancer Institute that same year. Along with being a professor of 
pathology at Harvard, Dr. Yunis currently is a member of the Department 
of Cancer, Immunology and AIDS at Dana Faber. Dr. Yunis has received 
numerous medical awards throughout his career for this outstanding 
work, and he and his wife, Borghild, have four children.
  The National Hispanic Scientist of the Year award was established 5 
years ago to recognize an outstanding national Hispanic scientist who 
promotes a greater public understanding of science and who also 
encourages increased interest in science education by Hispanic youth.
  I'm also pleased to know the proceeds from MOSI's National Hispanic 
Scientist of the Year Award Gala on October 22, 2005, go toward 
scholarships for Hispanic boys and girls to participate in MOSI's Youth 
Enriched by Science program, known as the ``YES! Team.'' Established in 
1991, the YES! Team program is designed to help at-risk youth develop 
self esteem and to encourage them to study science and consider 
science-related careers.
  In conjunction with the weekend gala celebration, MOSI also is 
hosting a ``Meet the Hispanic Scientist Day'' where approximately 1,000 
Hispanic students from the Tampa Bay area will get a chance to hear a 
presentation by this year's award winner and to get access to MOSI's 
hands-on science exhibits. Again, I want to congratulate Dr. Yunis for 
receiving the 2005 National Hispanic Scientist of the Year award. He 
serves as an outstanding role model for students in the Tampa Bay area 
and his visit will help motivate them to stay in school and to realize 
their dreams.

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