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Wednesday, November 5, 2025
St. Alban's Episcopal Church
3001 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016
Schedule
5:30 to 6:00 pm
Evening Prayer in the Church (optional)
6:00 to 7:00 pm
Reception in Nourse Hall and book signing opportunity
7:00 to 8:30 pm
Lecture in Trenbath Parish Hall followed by Q&A
An RSVP is required
Click the button below, and you will receive a confirmation upon receipt, along with a barcode that will be scanned for admittance to the event.
About the St. Alban’s Memorial Lecture Series (MLS)
The Memorial Lecture Series, with the support of a generous anonymous endowment, is a laity-led educational program supporting lectures and other presentations which allow the parish and the greater community to examine pressing issues of our time through the lens of contemporary theology. The series began in 2018 and has featured speakers such as Miroslav Volf, Amy-Jill Levine PhD, Father James Alison PhD, The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor, and The Rev. Christopher Carter PhD, among others.
About this Year’s MLS Speaker
This year, we welcome visionary medical researcher and leader Dr. Francis Collins as our 2025 Memorial Lecture Series speaker. Dr. Collins is a physician and geneticist known for his landmark discoveries of disease genes, for leading the Human Genome Project, and for his 12 years as Director of the National Institutes of Health. As founder of the Biologos Foundation, he is internationally known as a champion of the harmony of science and faith. A more detailed biography follows.
The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith and Trust
Dr. Collins will focus his lecture on his most recent book, The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith and Trust . The Road to Wisdom is a 2025 Nautilus Book Award Gold Winner. Jane Goodall describes the book as “an inspirational and unflinching look at Collins as a scientist and man of faith and offers a path to wisdom and encourages readers to seek truth, build trust, and practice generosity. This book should be read by anyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, who is seeking meaning or trying to make sense of our troubled times.”
The Road to Wisdom delves into the four core sources of judgement and clear thinking: truth, science, faith and trust. If interested in purchasing the book, go to www.francisscollins.com and click on one of the 6 links to booksellers on the website. There are also a limited number of copies at the National Cathedral bookstore.
The “Pledge”
In the final chapter of The Road to Wisdom , Dr. Collins proposes that those interested in helping a society heal from its current divisions and animosities should consider a pledge of personal commitment to be part of the solution.
The Road to Wisdom Pledge:
I will actively seek out opportunities to engage in dialogue with those who have different views from mine; by respectful listening, I will strive to understand their perspectives better, to identify our shared deeper values, and to build a bridge across the gap that has divided us.
When sifting incoming information, I will seek to be a wise consumer. Taking into account my own biases, I will carefully assess the plausibility of the claim as well as the integrity, competence, and humility of the source, in order to decide whether the information is likely to be trustworthy.
I will resist the temptation to speak about, write about, or share on social media information that claims to be true but is of uncertain validity.
I will bring a generous spirit to all my interpersonal interactions, refusing to ascribe evil intentions to others simply because of different political or societal beliefs. I will be slow to take offense. Loving my neighbor will be my goal.
To sign the pledge, please click here.
Francis S. Collins Biography: A Visionary Leader in Healthcare Innovation and Healthcare Policy
Dr. Francis Collins is one of the most influential scientists and healthcare policy leaders of our time, recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to genomics, precision medicine, and national healthcare initiatives. As the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2009 to 2021, he played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s biomedical research agenda under three U.S. Presidents—Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. His leadership was instrumental in advancing critical research on diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, neuroscience, genetic diseases, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Revolutionizing Medicine: The Human Genome Project and Beyond
Before his tenure as Director of NIH, Dr. Collins led one of the most significant scientific efforts in modern history—the Human Genome Project. Completed in 2003, this international collaboration successfully mapped the entire human genetic code, revolutionizing genetic medicine, diagnostics, and targeted therapies. His leadership in genomics has had a lasting impact on precision medicine, transforming the way diseases are prevented, diagnosed, and treated.
Physician and Geneticist
Dr. Francis Collins' life story is one of curiosity, discovery, and deep human connection. His journey from a small-town upbringing to leading the Human Genome Project and serving as Director of the National Institutes of Health is a testament to the power of vision, intellectual courage, and ethical leadership.
Guiding National Healthcare Policy and Research
As NIH Director, Collins secured bipartisan support for major healthcare initiatives, fostering public-private partnerships to accelerate biomedical innovation. Under his leadership:
The Cancer Moonshot Initiative was launched to advance cancer research and treatment.
The Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative pushed the frontiers of neuroscience.
The All of Us Research Program paved the way for precision medicine by collecting diverse genetic and health data on close to a million Americans, to drive personalized treatment strategies.
NIH-led COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research played a crucial role in the rapid development of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.
Global health research was a major priority for NIH, including launching the H3Africa Project and assisting in the design of an African Centers of Excellence Program.
The Sound Health Program, co-led with Renée Fleming, brought together music therapists, neuroscientists, and performers to identify new ways for music to be used for healing.
A Lifelong Commitment to Science and Innovation
Following his tenure as Acting Science Advisor and Special Projects Advisor to President Biden (2022-2023), Collins returned to his NIH research laboratory to continue investigating genetic factors in diabetes and premature aging. He retired from NIH on March 1, 2025, but continues to be a leading voice advocating for the importance of support of biomedical research.
Source: www.francisscollins.com
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