Dr. W. Wertelecki (Werteleckij),

The founder and chairman of the Department of Medical Genetics and Birth Defects Center of the University of South Alabama. Since 1994, Dr. Wertelecki has served as Secretary-Treasurer of the World Alliance for the Prevention of Birth Defects.

Prior to his training in Medical Genetics (Boston Children's Hospital Medical Center - Harvard University Medical School), he trained in Pediatrics (St. Louis Children's Hospital - Washington University). Later, Dr. Wertelecki served as Senior Surgeon, U.S. Public Health Commission Corps at the Epidemiology Branch of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Wertelecki is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics and member of the Academy of Pediatrics, Board Certified in Medical Genetics (Clinical Genetics and Cytogenetics), corresponding member of the National Academy of Medicine of Argentina, founding member of the World Alliance, Ibero-American Society of Human Genetics of North America, American-Ukrainian Medical Sciences Group and others.

Publications by Dr. Wertelecki show an early interest in the ideals adopted by the World Alliance; investigations of causes of birth defects (fetal malformation defects induced by experimental maternal diabetes in rats, 1961), early diagnosis (18q- syndrome, 1966), treatment (clinical variability of PKU, 1967), and preventive approaches (routine computer gathering of family histories, 1967).

In 1995, Drs. W. Wertelecki and M. Katz publicized in Spanish, Japanese, Russian, Ukrainian and Chinese the tasks for the emerging World Alliance.

In 1998, Dr. W. Wertelecki invited the President of the March of Dimes, Dr. J. Howse, leaders of the World Alliance and other experts to visit Ukraine. The ideals of the World Alliance were discussed and soon the Ukrainian-American Birth Defects Program sponsored by the United States Agency of International Development. Now the Ukrainian Alliance for the Prevention of Birth Defects is eager to share its experiences with counterparts. Young Prizewinners of the International Horowitz Piano Competition disseminate the motto that music can convey the ideal that true harmony includes a world free from BD. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians hear that BD can be prevented.

W.Wertelecki, M.D.
Dept. Chair Medical Genetics
University of South Alabama
CCCB 214,307 Univ. Blvd.
Mobile, AL 36688-0002 USA
Tel.: 334-460-7505
Fax.: 334-461-1591
E-mail: wwertele@usamail.usouthal.edu