Dr. Victor A. McKusick, a Johns Hopkins professor who pioneered the study of medical genetics and spent his career exploring how patients` genes predisposed them to medical disorders, died of cancer Tuesday at his home in Towson. He was 86.
Often referred to as the "father of medical genetics," Dr. McKusick was widely credited with helping establish the scientific link between inheritance and disease.
His meticulous research into rare genetic disorders -- an intellectual pursuit he was discouraged from exploring as a young cardiologist -- led to modern methods of classifying and treating inherited diseases.
By Chris Emery
Sun reporter