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By Liz Navratil

In case two degrees from Pitt weren’t enough, Bert O’Malley, the ‘father of endocrinology,’ is… In case two degrees from Pitt weren’t enough, Bert O’Malley, the ‘father of endocrinology,’ is about to add another one to his list.

O’Malley, who received both his bachelor’s degree in science and M.D. from Pitt, will receive an honorary doctor of science degree when he speaks at commencement, in the Petersen Events Center on April 26.The doctor, a Steel City native, gained fame for his work on the Human Genome Project.

Today, his work focuses on hormones, particularly the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. His research has helped determine how treatments work on breast cancer, endometriosis and uterine cancer.

In the fall, O’Malley received the National Medal of Science, one of the top science and engineering awards in the country, from former President George W. Bush.

O’Malley has written more than 600 scientific and medical publications and holds 19 patents for techniques and inventions related to molecular and cellular biology. He’s also been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.

O’Malley, the chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, Texas, has trained more than 250 students and postdoctoral fellows.

Last year’s commencement speaker was pro football Hall of Famer Dan Marino.