Claire M. Fraser

Claire M. Fraser: Biography in Details

Who is Claire M. Fraser?

Claire M. Fraser is an American Professor and the most cited authority in Investigative Microbiology.

In 1995, Claire M. Fraser was the first to map the genetic code of free-living organisms in the human body which revolutionized microbiology research.

She is currently a Dean’s Endowed Professor at the Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.

Dr. Fraser is also the Director of the Institute of Genome Sciences there. In 2020, she will serve as AAAS President and in 2021, as Chairperson.

Who are the parents of Claire M. Fraser?

Claire M. Fraser was born on 05 Nov 1955, in Boston. Details about her father, mother, and ancestry are not disclosed.

Dr. Fraser was raised by a high school principal and elementary school teacher in Saugus, a suburb of Boston in Maryland.

This little hazel-eyed, Native American girl with chestnut-brown hair excelled in all subjects in school. However, it was only after high school that she showed interest in science.

As a 5-year-old playing in her friend’s mini-kitchen, did Claire know that she would play a part in genome sequencing? She credits Rensselaer and her first husband Craig Vector for her research bug.

However, Claire M. Fraser takes her achievements with a pinch of salt. Instead of achievements, you can see pictures of  Dr. Frazer’s beloved poodles Shadow, Cricket, and Marley in her office. And she even sequenced Shadow’s genome!

Claire M. Fraser completed her B.S. in Biology in 1977 from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. In 1981, Dr. Fraser completed her Ph.D. Pharmacology from the State University of New York in Buffalo.

Claire M. Fraser: Professional Life, Career

Starting in 1995, Dr. Fraser discovered a complete genetic instruction- the genomes of a collection of species and yes, human pathogens among others that lie at the crossroads of evolution.

Claire M. Fraser was the first to map this complete, genetic code of a free-living organism, the Haemophilus influenza.

This bacterium causes lower respiratory tract infections and meningitis in infants and young children.

Claire M. Fraser is also an expert in microbial forensics. In 2001, she led the Amerithrax investigation and helped the FBI identify the four genetic mutations in the anthrax spores.

This added another dimension to the field of microbial forensics.

From 1998 to 2007 Claire M. Fraser was the president and director of TIGR, Rockville, MD. Now she works on hypothesis-driven research using “-omics” technologies.

Dr. Fraser also writes books about her research and has more than 50k citations to her credit.

Awards, Nominations

Some of Claire M. Fraser’s awards are:

• 2002, Ernest Orland Lawrence Award
• 2004, AAAS Fellow
• 2010, Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame
• 2011, Rensselaer Alumni Hall of Fame.
• 2014,  Maryland International Business Leadership Award

How much does Claire M. Fraser earn?

Claire M. Fraser’s salary is over $78k, along with income from writing books and commerce. As of 2023, her net worth is over $80 million.

Body Measurements: Height, Weight

Claire M. Fraser has an average height and weight of 56 kg. She has hazel brown eyes and hair.

Is Claire M. Fraser active on social media?

Claire M. Fraser is not active on social sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, read Jeffrey Gordon, Chelsea Manning, and Ken Jennings.

Claire M. Fraser's Birthday Dates