Greenwood Genetic Center’s Saul Appointed to Chair Committee on Genetics
February 22, 2011
GREENWOOD, SC – February 22, 2011 – Dr. Robert A. Saul, Senior Clinical Geneticist at the Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC), has been appointed to chair the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Genetics, effective July 1, 2011. Chosen by the AAP Board of Directors, members of the Committee are selected on the basis of talents and expertise in the genetics field. The committee studies and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors on recent advances in genetics and provides support to chapters on state legislative issues as they relate to genetics.
“We are very proud of Dr. Saul’s recent appointment and this national recognition of his accomplishments as a leader and an expert in the field of genetics and pediatrics. We are confident that he will excel in this position and will serve the Academy well,” said Dr. Steven Skinner, Director of GGC.
The AAP is an organization of 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Dr. Saul is an active member of AAP, focusing his efforts in the area of genetic disorders, particularly Fragile X syndrome. His recent contributions include co-authoring guidelines for the care of individuals with Fragile X and authoring a chapter on Fragile X for an upcoming AAP textbook. As chairperson, Dr. Saul will attend the Annual Leadership Forum (ALF), held in March in Chicago, IL.
“I am honored to have been chosen by the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Pediatricians to chair this important committee of the AAP,” stated Saul. “The clinical reports, technical reports, and policy statements reviewed and reported by the Committee on Genetics provide up-to-date advice for the appropriate integration of medical genetic information into pediatric practice for the over 60,000 members of the AAP.”
Dr. Saul has been a faculty member of the Greenwood Genetic Center since 1981. He is actively involved in the evaluation, counseling, and treatment of children and adults affected by genetic disorders. He also serves as director for the GGC’s post-graduate genetics training program, the only such program in South Carolina and one of only 43 accredited training programs in the nation.
Dr. Saul is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics (1981) and American Board of Medical Genetics (1982). He is active in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section of Genetics and Birth Defects , AAP Committee on Genetics, South Carolina Chapter of the AAP, American Society of Human Genetics, American College of Medical Genetics Board of Directors (2007-2013), and Association of Professors of Human and Medical Genetics. Dr. Saul is also past President of the Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
About Greenwood Genetic Center
The Greenwood Genetic Center is a nonprofit institute, organized to provide clinical genetic services and laboratory testing to develop educational programs and materials, and to conduct research in the field of genetics. The center focuses on identifying the causes of birth defects and intellectual disabilities with a special interest in X-linked intellectual disabilities. The Greenwood Genetic Center also operates South Carolina’s only postgraduate medical genetics training program and is one of 43 accredited programs in the nation to offer training in four or more specialty areas. The Greenwood Genetic Center has clinical offices in Greenville, Columbia, Florence and Charleston in addition to the main campus in Greenwood. For more information, visit www.ggc.org.
