The story behind the founder of INMEGEN.
Highlights:
- Dr. Gerardo Jiménez Sánchez contributed to the Human Genome Project and led the first medical analysis featured in Nature magazine’s historic 2001 issue.
- Inspired by early experiments with fruit flies in high school, Dr. Jiménez pursued a career in genetics and collaborated with global pioneers like Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. David Valle.
- As a founder of INMEGEN, he spearheaded the creation of Mexico’s first genomic platform, mapping the genetic diversity of indigenous and mestizo populations.
- Dr. Jiménez has combined research with entrepreneurship, founding Genómica Médica to make DNA testing accessible and serving on international boards to drive innovation.
- Honored with the Anahuac Medal in 2024, Dr. Jiménez emphasizes ethical science, innovation, and a commitment to bridging health inequality gaps.
On February 15, 2001, the iconic green cover of Nature magazine featured the full-length image of the DNA double helix—years of research, thousands of scientists, and billions of dollars culminated in the Human Genome Project. Among the articles in that edition, Human Disease Genes reported the identification of over 1,000 genes linked to diseases. “I was fortunate to be the lead author of the first medical analysis,” explains Dr. Gerardo Jiménez Sánchez, a Mexican specialist in human genetics and molecular biology. While at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project, invited him to join the team.
I was fortunate to be the lead author of the first medical analysis.
Gerardo Jiménez Sánchez
“I come from a family of scientists,” says Dr. Jiménez. “Both my parents earned their doctorates in the U.S.” His mother specialized in life sciences and won the National Chemistry Award, while his father focused on agronomic sciences. “I grew up immersed in scientific research.” During high school in Mexico City, he became fascinated with genetics. “I obtained some fruit flies with unique traits—some with very large eyes, others with short wings—and built a collection of about ten types, known as Drosophila.” He convinced his principal to allocate a lab for this project and received a larger space than he had anticipated, along with two assistants who helped him breed and study thousands of flies. They examined how traits were passed from generation to generation, much like Gregor Mendel’s experiments with pea plants in the 19th century.
While studying medicine at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Dr. Jiménez worked with Dr. Antonio Velázquez, a pioneer in studying hereditary metabolic diseases and childhood malnutrition. “I learned about single-gene disorders and rare diseases,” he recalls. He wrote his undergraduate thesis and later specialized in these conditions. During his studies, he attended a lecture by Dr. David Valle from Johns Hopkins University that transformed his perspective. “I told myself, ‘I want this man to be my mentor and learn from him‘.’” Dr. Jiménez approached him during a break, introduced himself, and eventually collaborated on a research project between his medical internship in Mexico and Johns Hopkins.
I told myself, ‘I want this man to be my mentor and learn from him‘.
Gerardo Jiménez Sánchez
After earning his medical degree, he pursued a pediatrics residency at the National Institute of Pediatrics (INP) and later completed a Ph.D. in human genetics and molecular biology at Johns Hopkins. Throughout his career, he asked himself, “How can we conduct scientific research that directly impacts individual health, especially for Mexicans?”
Dr. Guillermo Soberón mentored him in Mexico, where they discussed how the country could leverage genomic advances to improve healthcare despite not participating in the Human Genome Project. Together, they formed a genomic medicine interest group, uniting researchers from various institutions and mexican states. This led to the creation of a consortium that laid the groundwork for INMEGEN. The consortium included UNAM (under Dr. Juan Ramón de la Fuente), CONACYT (led by Dr. Jaime Parada), the Ministry of Health (headed by Dr. Julio Frenk), and FUNSALUD (chaired by Antonio López de Silanes). In 2003, Dr. Jiménez received the Silanes Award in Genomic Medicine. In 2004, the Mexican Congress officially established INMEGEN, the 11th National Institute of Health in Mexico and Latin America’s first genomic platform. This year marks two decades of its contributions to genetic research to benefit Mexican healthcare.
“INMEGEN became a global reference,” says Dr. Jiménez. It contributed to the next chapter of the Human Genome Project, the HapMap Project, which mapped the genetic structure of three ancestral populations. INMEGEN created Mexico’s genetic map, including indigenous and mestizo populations, with findings published in 2009 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Dr. Jiménez recalls presenting the Mexican Genome Map in rural areas with simultaneous translation into indigenous languages like Mayan, Zapotec, and Nahuatl. “From the beginning, my passion was understanding the molecular mechanisms of disease to improve medical care and quality.”
From the beginning, my passion was understanding the molecular mechanisms of disease to improve medical care and quality.
Gerardo Jiménez Sánchez
After founding and leading INMEGEN, Dr. Jiménez joined the UN Biotechnology Advisory Board under Kofi Annan to bridge gaps between rich and poor, healthy and sick populations. He also chaired the OECD Biotechnology Task Force for eight years. “Science for the sake of science wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to move towards the practical arm of science—creating products and services that enhance social well-being, cultural enrichment, and economic growth.”
Science for the sake of science wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to move towards the practical arm of science—creating products and services that enhance social well-being, cultural enrichment, and economic growth.
Gerardo Jiménez Sánchez
Beyond his scientific achievements, Dr. Jiménez now sits on international investment fund boards to drive innovation in medicine. “Now we have much more powerful, interconnected technologies,” he explains. He also founded Genómica Médica, a laboratory offering DNA tests to assess genetic disease risks. His goal is to make this technology accessible for everyday use. “Research and entrepreneurship can complement each other. Knowledge generation and economic growth are essential for society,” he emphasizes.
Research and entrepreneurship can complement each other. Knowledge generation and economic growth are essential for society.
Gerardo Jiménez Sánchez
Dr. Jiménez’s journey exemplifies how science, innovation, entrepreneurship, humanity, and a commitment to social well-being can transform lives. In recognition of his contributions, the Anahuac University Faculty of Health Sciences awarded him the Anahuac Medal on November 5, 2024. “Curiosity motivates us, innovation drives us, integrity guides us, and resilience strengthens us. Always with social commitment as our inspiration,” he concludes. When conducted ethically and with a humanistic vision, science bridges health inequality gaps.
