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Dr. John Sanford

Dr. John Sanford

LogosRA Director and Associate, President of FMS Foundation, Retired Cornell Geneticist, PhD Plant Breeding and Genetics

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 also started two successful biotechnology companies. Since the year 2000, John has engaged in science-based Christian apologetics, defending the truth of scripture. He has published numerous scientific papers and books in the area of biblical genetics.


John feels his most significant contributions to science have been: 1) the Biolistic Process; 2) the book Genetic Entropy; 3) Development of Mendel's Accountant (the most advanced and biologically realistic numerical simulation of the mutation/selection process); and 4) the Cornell symposium and subsequently published proceedings entitled Biological Information - New Perspectives.

Links to Selected Papers:

  1. Biological Information and Genetic Theory: Introductory Comments

  2. Multiple Overlapping Genetic Codes Profoundly Reduce the Probability of Beneficial Mutation 

  3. Can Purifying Natural Selection Preserve Biological Information

  4. Selection Threshold Severely Constrains Capture of Beneficial Mutations

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

  6. Can Synergistic Epistasis Halt Mutation Accumulation? Results from Numerical Simulation

  7. Computational Evolution Experiments Reveal a Net Loss of Genetic Information Despite Selection

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


Books and Chapters:


Website Links:


Video Links:

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