THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

            PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES CAROL W. GREIDER TO THE
                 NATIONAL BIOETHICS ADVISORY COMMISSION

President Clinton today announced his intention to appoint Carol W. Greider, Ph.D. of Huntington, New York, to the National Bioethics Advisory Commission. Established by Presidential Executive Order on October 3, 1995, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission (NBAC) will provide guidance to federal agencies on the ethical conduct of current and future human biological and behavioral research. The first members were appointed in July 1996. The Commission members' expertise includes the fields of philosophy and theology, law and medicine, biology, and social and behavioral sciences. The President also included community representatives to ensure a well-rounded Commission.

Dr. Greider presently serves as senior staff scientist at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York. Dr. Greider is an internationally known expert in molecular biology whose research focuses on the structure and function of telomeres, chromosomal components whose role in aging and cancer is just beginning to become clear. Dr. Greider holds a B.A. in Biology from U.C. Santa Barbara and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from U.C. Berkeley.

The Commission will focus on protection of rights and welfare of human research subjects and issues in the management and use of genetic information. The Commission will be guided by the following criteria when establishing its agenda: the public health or public policy urgency of the issue, the relation of the issue to the goals of the federal investment in science and technology, the relative capacity of the Commission as compared to other entities to deliberate on an issue, and the extent of interest in the issue across the government. The Commission may also address issues suggested by Congress and members of the public.

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