HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

'lizbeth · 05-20-2014, 02:28 PM

1945: Phage course lays foundation for molecular genetics
The appointment in 1941 of Milislav Demerec as director of both the Biological Laboratory and the Department of Genetics signaled a new era of genetics research, one in which microorganisms were used to study the nature of the gene. Demerec began to study bacteria and simple viruses that infected them called bacteriophages, and in 1945 encouraged Max Delbrück to initiate the first advanced course at the Laboratory—the Phage Course. Delbrück and collaborators including Salvador Luria introduced other researchers to new genetic concepts and tools in these annual courses.
The Phage Course played a key role in the development of molecular genetics. Many scientists who took it went on to help determine the physical basis of the gene. Delbrück and Luria were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1969 together with a third phage geneticist, Alfred Hershey, who beginning in 1950 made Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory his scientific home.
In 1942, Demerec appointed Barbara McClintock to the Department of Genetics. Already acknowledged as a world leader in cytogenetics (the microscopic study of chromosome structure and behavior), in 1944 she became the third woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences. In the 1940s, McClintock began to study puzzling unstable mutations in maize, an effort that ultimately led her to describe transposable elements. In 1983, McClintock received the Nobel Prize for her studies of transposons, which she earlier had called “jumping genes.”

During World War II, Milislav Demerec performed other research at the Laboratory which led to isolation of mutant strains of the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. This research greatly increased the yield of the antibiotic penicillin, and proved a great boon to the U.S. war effort.

05-20-2014, 02:28 PM	#4
'lizbeth Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sunny San Diego Posts: 2,214	Re: Who is Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory? 1945: Phage course lays foundation for molecular genetics The appointment in 1941 of Milislav Demerec as director of both the Biological Laboratory and the Department of Genetics signaled a new era of genetics research, one in which microorganisms were used to study the nature of the gene. Demerec began to study bacteria and simple viruses that infected them called bacteriophages, and in 1945 encouraged Max Delbrück to initiate the first advanced course at the Laboratory—the Phage Course. Delbrück and collaborators including Salvador Luria introduced other researchers to new genetic concepts and tools in these annual courses. The Phage Course played a key role in the development of molecular genetics. Many scientists who took it went on to help determine the physical basis of the gene. Delbrück and Luria were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1969 together with a third phage geneticist, Alfred Hershey, who beginning in 1950 made Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory his scientific home. In 1942, Demerec appointed Barbara McClintock to the Department of Genetics. Already acknowledged as a world leader in cytogenetics (the microscopic study of chromosome structure and behavior), in 1944 she became the third woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences. In the 1940s, McClintock began to study puzzling unstable mutations in maize, an effort that ultimately led her to describe transposable elements. In 1983, McClintock received the Nobel Prize for her studies of transposons, which she earlier had called “jumping genes.” During World War II, Milislav Demerec performed other research at the Laboratory which led to isolation of mutant strains of the fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. This research greatly increased the yield of the antibiotic penicillin, and proved a great boon to the U.S. war effort.