James E. Womack is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 biologist

Biologist

A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...

 and a professor at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...

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Birth and education

James E. Womack was born in 1941 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. He graduated with a BS in Mathematics Ed from Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...

 in 1964. After completing his BS, he went to Oregon State University

Oregon State University

Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...

 and completed his PhD in Genetics in 1968.

Academic career

After completing his PhD, he became an assistant professor of Biology at Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...

. He was an assistant professor of Biology from 1968 to 1971 and an associate professor of Biology from 1971 to 1973 at Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...

. Since 1973, he has been a professor at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...

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Research

James E. Womack is known for conducting pioneering research in the cattle genome. He was responsible for the development of a whole genome cattle-hamster radiation hybrid (RH) panel. This work fueled a new thrust in cattle genomics and comparative gene mapping. RH mapping is an effective tool for building ordered maps of conserved sequences, derived from genes, thus integrating linkage and physical maps of mammalian chromosomes.

He has taken special interest in assisting the careers of young scientists, particularly those in developing countries. Many of his students have gone on to positions of international leadership in animal genomics.

Awards and honors

James E. Womack has received several awards and honours for his research. In 1993, he was awarded the CIBA Prize for Research in Animal Health. In 1999, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. In 2001, he was awarded the Wolf Prize in Agriculture

Wolf Prize in Agriculture

The Wolf Prize in Agriculture is awarded once a year by the Wolf Foundation in Israel. It is one of the six Wolf Prizes established by the Foundation and awarded since 1978; the others are in Chemistry, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics and the Arts...

 along with Roger N. Beachy

Roger N. Beachy

Roger N. Beachy is an American biologist and the founding president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri.- Birth, family and education :...

of the Danforth Plant Science Center "for the use of recombinant DNA technology, to revolutionize plant and animal sciences, paving the way for applications to neighboring fields".