William French Anderson

Who is William French Anderson?

William French Anderson is an American physician, geneticist and molecular biologist. He is considered a pioneer of gene therapy. He graduated from Harvard College in 1958 and from Harvard Medical School in 1963. In 1990, he claimed to be the first person ever to succeed in gene therapy of a 4-year-old girl suffering from SCID. His claims may have been exaggerated, albeit, he was not alone. In 2006, he was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor, the daughter of a disgruntled business partner, and in 2007 was sentenced to 14 years in prison.