James Watson
1928 -
James Dewey Watson, one of the most important researchers in the
field of genetics, was born on April 6, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois.
Being a very good student, he enrolled at the University of Chicago when he was only 15
years old and graduated in 1947.
However, both Cal. Tech and Harvard University turned him down for their
graduate programs. Watson attended Indiana where
he finished a Ph. D. in Genetics and received a National Research Fellowship
to spend a year in Copenhagen. At a conference held at the Zoological Station
in Naples, he met Maurice Wilkins, whose work convinced him to direct his
research towards the structure of nucleic acids and proteins.
In 1950, Watson joined Cavendish Laboratories where many other important
people involved in archeology, such as Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and
Rosalind Franklin were trying to determine the makeup of DNA. They had already
determined that DNA
was a molecule with two "strands" that formed a tight pair. It was Crick and
Watson who made the next big discovery. They proposed that DNA was a winding
helix in which pairs of bases held the strands together. This model of the DNA
double helix became an important item of research in the areas of Biochemistry
and Molecular Genetics.
In 1968, Watson published his DNA discovery and entitled it The
Double Helix. The book became a best-seller, but some members of the
scientific community were outraged by his degrading portrayal of his
colleagues. Through the controversy, Watson said that sticking to the truth was
important in writing for scientific research, as well as the general public.
Because of The Double Helix and their contributions to science, Watson,
Crick and Wilkins were all awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962.
In the decades following, Watson taught at Cal. Tech (ironic since they
initially refused his admittance to their graduate program), and was promoted
to Director at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, and has made
important contributions to the understanding of genetic code.
Watson's association with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory came as a
surprise. Although he possessed a "Nutty Professor" like demeanor at times,
Watson still went on to become an effective fundraiser and supporter for basic
research in science. Soon after he became the Director in 1968, the laboratory
became one of the world's most important research institutions for molecular
biology. Scientists working under Watson during this time discovered the
molecular nature of cancer and identified cancer genes for the first time. This
is one of the reasons that over 4,000 scientists from around the world come to
Cold Harbor to study the Institute's genetic research every year. In 1988,
Watson's achievement and success led to his appointment as the Head of the
Human Genome Project at the
National Institute of Health.
The Human Genome Project was designed to sequence the human genome
entirely. Watson carefully guided the project through the controversy
surrounding genetic research. His effort has resulted in a complete directory
of the genetic code of the human species. To do this, researchers had to figure
out the exact location, chemical composition and function of 50,000 to 100,000
separate genes. This will permit the development of tests, and maybe even
cures, for thousands of hereditary disorders or diseases which have something
to do with genetics. The Human Genome Project turned out to be the most
determined, generously funded effort in biology. Its payoffs for medical usage
are immense, even if they are not totally certain. Despite discouragement, plus
harsh criticism from the public, Watson has gotten considerable support for
this high risk gamble.
Watson left the Human Genome Project in 1992, after seeing it off to a
good start. He continued his work at Cold Harbor Laboratory and in 1994, became
President of the Institution.
Universities and governments around the world have recognized James
Watson with many awards and degrees, some of which include the Presidential
Medal of Freedom. His papers and the best-selling publications include:
Double Helix
The DNA Story
Molecular Biology of the Gene, Molecular Biology of the Cell
Recombinant DNA: A Short Course.
References:
Baldwin, Joyce. DNA Pioneer: James Watson and the Double Helix.
Walker and Co., 1994.
Watson, James D. The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the
Discovery of the Structure of DNA. Athenaeum, 1968.
http://www.almaz.com/nobel/medicine/1962b.html
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/wat0bio-1
http://www.gene.com/ae/AB/BC/James_Dewey_Watson.html
Written By Brian Johnson
Edited By Lindsey Alston, 2007