​Logos Research Associates

Dr. John Sanford

Retired Cornell Geneticist, Education: Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics, President of Logos Research Associates, President of FMS Foundation. 

Biography:

As a Cornell University professor, John conducted genetic research for over 30 years. This research has resulted in more than 100 scientific publications and several dozen patents. In addition to producing numerous new crop varieties, John's research resulted in new genetic engineering technologies. A large fraction of the transgenic crops grown in the world today involved use of the biolistic “gene gun” process, of which John was the primary inventor.

John feels his most significant contributions to science have been: 1) the Biolistic Process; 2) the book Genetic Entropy and the Mystery of the Genome; 3) Development of Mendel's Accountant (the most advanced and biologically realistic numerical simulation of the mutation/selection process); and the Cornell symposium and subsequently published proceedings entitled Biological Information--New Perspectives. This milestone book is John's most significant contribution to science and is available at BINP.org. A free synopsis/commentary of this publication can be downloaded using the same link. 

Links to Selected Papers:

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• Nylonase Genes and Proteins – Distribution, Conservation, and Possible Origins.

• Testing the Hypothesis that the Nylonase NylB Protein Arose de novo via a Frameshift Mutation

• The fundamental theorem of natural selection with mutations

• The waiting time problem in a model hominin population

• Using Numerical Simulation to Better Understand Fixation Rates, and Establishment of a New Principle- "Haldane's Ratchet"

• Biological Information: New Perspectives

           -Biological Information and Genetic Theory: Introductory Comments

-Multiple Overlapping Genetic Codes Profoundly Reduce the Probability of Beneficial Mutation 

-Can Purifying Natural Selection Preserve Biological Information

           -Selection Threshold Severely Constrains Capture of Beneficial Mutations

           -Using Numerical Simulation to Test the “Mutation-Count” Hypothesis

           -Can Synergistic Epistasis Halt Mutation Accumulation? Results from Numerical Simulation

           -Computational Evolution Experiments Reveal a Net Loss of Genetic Information Despite        

            Selection

           -Information Loss: Potential for Accelerating Natural Genetic Attenuation of RNA Viruses

• Using Numerical Simulation to Test the Validity of Neo-Darwinian Theory

• Mendel’s Accountant: A Biologically Realistic Forward-Time Population Genetics Program

• Mendel’s Accountant: A New Population Genetics Simulation Tool for Studying Mutation and Natural Selection

• Using computer Simulation to Understand Mutation Accumulation Dynamics and Genetic Load

• The Effects of Low Impact Mutations in Digital Organisms

• Skittle Genome Paper

• The Next Step in Understanding Population Dynamics- Comprehensive Numerical Simulation

• The Development of the Biolistic Process

• Mendel's Accountant: A New Population Genetics Simulation Tool for Studying Mutation and Natural Selection

• The "Eve" Mitochondrial Consensus Sequence

• Adam and Eve, Designed Diversity, and Allele Frequencies

• An overview of the independent histories of the human Y chromosome and the human mitochondrial chromosome.

• A new look at an old virus: patterns of mutation accumulation in the human H1N1 influenza virus since 1918.

• An Integrated Cloud Platform for Rapid Interface Generation, Job Scheduling, Monitoring, Plotting, and Case Management of Scientific Applications.

Books and Chapters:

• Book: Contested Bones, 1st edition, 2017.

• Book: Genetic Entropy, 4th edition, 2014 (print and Kindle versions available).

• Book Chapter: Persuaded by the Evidence, 2008 (eds. Doug Sharp and Jerry Bergman), John Sanford: the making and unmaking of an evolutionary atheist, Master Books (p 147-154).

• In Light of Genetics...Adam, Eve, and the Creation/Fall. Published in Christian Apologetics Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2, Fall 2014 by Southern Evangelical Seminary.

• God, Family, and Genetics – A Biblical Perspective, Part 1: Genetic Evidences Supporting the Divine Origin of Man and Family; Published in Proceedings of the symposium at Rome: "The Two Shall Become One": The Creation of Adam and Eve as the Foundation of the Church's Teaching on Holy Marriage.

• God, Family, and Genetics – A Biblical Perspective, Part 2: Genetic Evidences Refuting the Evolution of Man and Family; Published in Proceedings of the symposium at Rome: "The Two Shall Become One": The Creation of Adam and Eve as the Foundation of the Church's Teaching on Holy Marriage.

Website Links:

• John Sanford (Resumé)

• Mendel’s Accountant (MendelsAccountant.info)

• Genetic Entropy (GeneticEntropy.org)

• Biological Information: New Perspectives (BINP.org)

• Science Updates for Believers (LogosRA.org)