Iceland: Land of Information Lecture Series: The Icelandic Genome

Using Iceland’s uniquely comprehensive genealogical records, deCODE Genetics put together a genealogy database covering the entire present day population and stretching back to the founding of the country more than 1000 years ago.

Kári Stefánsson, M.D., Dr. Med. founded deCODE in August 1996. Dr. Stefánsson was previously a professor of Neurology, Neuropathology and Neuroscience at Harvard University and Director of Neuropathology at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Stefansson has shaped deCODE’s scientific approach and been actively engaged in leading its gene discovery work, serving as senior author on most of the company’s publications in major scientific journals.