# Eric Lander on Reddit (u/Eric_Lander)

Part of Scientists on Reddit, researched with Autumn (https://www.autumn.ai) from public sources. Updated 2026-11-07. Interactive version: https://www.autumn.ai/resources/scientists-on-reddit/eric-lander

Eric Lander: Geneticist, a leader of the Human Genome Project.

- Reddit account: [u/Eric_Lander](https://www.reddit.com/user/Eric_Lander/) (AMA only)
- How we know it's theirs: [The 2013 r/IAmA AMA, posted from this account](https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18ymad/)
- Where they post, in the records we retrieved: r/IAmA (36)
- Known activity in the posts we found: 2013 to 2013
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Lander
- Also on Autumn: [International Mathematical Olympiad silver medalist, 1974: his Olympiads profile](https://www.autumn.ai/resources/olympiads/eric-lander-olp-11dc3834a98b596fb5df)

## Moments

### u/Eric_Lander in r/IAmA, Feb 21, 2013 · Explains things

Replying to a redditor:

> Would you rather map the genome of 1 horse sized duck or 100 duck sized horses?

> No contest: I'd rather map the genome of 100 duck-sized horses than 1 horse-sized duck! With 100, you get information about the population genetics. So you can learn cool things about why some of the duck-sized horses can fly better and others can run better. Can anyone online get us the DNA for this project?

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18ymad/comment/c8j5kms/ · 1,856 points as of Nov 7, 2026

### u/Eric_Lander in r/IAmA, Feb 21, 2013 · Behind the scenes

Replying to a redditor:

> What is your favorite memory from working on the Human Genome Project?

> Two memories:
>
> (1) Getting on the phone every Thursday at 11am Eastern for three years, with the same group of people around the world dedicated to a common goal. We argued with each other, yelled at each other, cajoled each other, bucked each other up. We had ups and downs, but we never doubted the mission of making the information freely and rapidly available to everyone.

(Excerpt.)
Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18ymad/comment/c8j6nox/ · 489 points as of Nov 7, 2026

### u/Eric_Lander in r/IAmA, Feb 21, 2013 · Personal story

Replying to a redditor:

> Thanks for do this AmA Dr. Lander! As a biological sciences undergraduate student, I've always had a passion for life around me. What was the moment (if there was one) when you really knew biology was your future?

> It came VERY late! I loved math (and hated biology) in high school, college and grad school. It was only when I was out of grad school and my brother gave me some papers to read about the brain that I got interested in biology. I started sitting in on some courses at Harvard and MIT to learn some biology. But I really got hooked when I started doing some experiments in a colleague's lab. Bottom line: It's never too late to discover a passion.

Full thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18ymad/comment/c8j7w5i/ · 294 points as of Nov 7, 2026