James Watson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Watson
Watson in 2012
Born	James Dewey Watson (1928-04-06) April 6, 1928 (age 97) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education	University of Chicago (BS) Indiana University (PhD)
Known for	DNA structure Molecular biology
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Lewis ​ (m. 1968)​
Children	2
Awards	Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research (1960) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1962) John J. Carty Award (1971) Copley Medal (1993) Lomonosov Gold Medal (1994)
Scientific career
Fields	Genetics
Institutions	Indiana University Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Laboratory of Molecular Biology Harvard University California Institute of Technology University of Cambridge National Institutes of Health
Thesis	The Biological Properties of X-Ray Inactivated Bacteriophage (1951)
Doctoral advisor	Salvador Luria
Doctoral students	Mario Capecchi Bob Horvitz Peter B. Moore David Schlessinger Joan Steitz
Other notable students	Ewan Birney Ronald W. Davis (postdoc) Phillip Allen Sharp (postdoc) Richard J. Roberts (postdoc) John Tooze (postdoc)
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James Dewey Watson (born April 6, 1928) is an American scientist who studies molecular biology, genetics, and animals (zoology). In 1953, he worked with Francis Crick to propose the famous double helix structure of the DNA molecule. This discovery was a huge step in understanding life!

Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins later won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They received this award for their discoveries about the structure of nucleic acids and how this structure helps transfer information in living things.

Watson studied at the University of Chicago and Indiana University. After working in Denmark, he joined the University of Cambridge in England. There, he met Francis Crick, who would become his key partner in discovering DNA's structure. From 1956 to 1976, Watson taught at Harvard University, helping to grow the field of molecular biology.

From 1968, Watson led the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). He helped it become a top research center, especially for studying cancer. In 1994, he became its president. He later resigned in 2007 after making controversial comments. In 2019, CSHL removed his honorary titles because he repeated these views.

Watson has written many science books, including Molecular Biology of the Gene and his popular book The Double Helix. He also helped start the Human Genome Project from 1988 to 1992. This project aimed to map all the genes in humans, which was completed in 2003.

Early Life and Education

James D. Watson was born in Chicago on April 6, 1928. His father was a businessman. As a child, James loved watching birds and even thought about studying them professionally. He appeared on Quiz Kids, a radio show where smart young people answered questions.

At just 15 years old, Watson enrolled at the University of Chicago with a scholarship. In 1946, he read a book called What Is Life? by Erwin Schrödinger. This book made him change his mind from birds to genetics. He earned his first degree in Zoology from the University of Chicago in 1947.

Watson then went to Indiana University for his PhD. He was interested in the work of Hermann Joseph Muller, a Nobel Prize winner who had studied how heredity works. Watson received his PhD in 1950, with Salvador Luria as his advisor.

Career and Research

The Phage Group

Watson became interested in molecular biology through the work of Salvador Luria. Luria later won a Nobel Prize for his work on how genetic mutations happen. Luria was part of a group of scientists called the "Phage Group." They studied viruses that infect bacteria, called bacteriophages.

This group believed they were close to understanding what genes are made of. At the time, many thought genes were proteins. But Watson learned about the Avery–MacLeod–McCarty experiment, which suggested that DNA was actually the genetic material. Watson's early research involved using X-rays to study bacterial viruses.

In 1950, Watson went to Denmark for more research. He wanted to study the structure of DNA. While there, he saw Maurice Wilkins present some X-ray diffraction data for DNA. This made Watson even more sure that DNA had a clear structure that could be figured out.

Discovering the Double Helix

The DNA model built by Crick and Watson in 1953, now in the Science Museum, London.

In March 1953, Watson and Crick figured out the double helix structure of DNA. Their discovery relied on important experimental data from King's College London. This data was mainly collected by Rosalind Franklin and her student Raymond Gosling.

The director of the Cavendish Laboratory, Lawrence Bragg, first announced the discovery in Belgium on April 8, 1953. Watson and Crick then published their paper, "Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid," in the journal Nature on April 25, 1953.

Many scientists were very impressed by the new DNA model. The publication of the DNA double helix structure changed science forever. It helped us understand life in a new way and started the modern era of biology.

Watson, Crick, and Wilkins received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 for their work on the structure of nucleic acids. Rosalind Franklin had passed away in 1958, so she could not be nominated for the prize.

How Rosalind Franklin Helped

The X-ray data from Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling was very important for Watson and Crick's discovery. Franklin's high-quality X-ray images of DNA showed that DNA had a spiral (helical) shape. Her work also suggested that the sugar-phosphate backbones of DNA were on the outside of the molecule. She also realized that the two DNA strands were antiparallel, meaning they run in opposite directions.

Watson and Crick used Franklin's unpublished data. In a 1954 article, Watson and Crick said that without Franklin's data, their structure "would have been most unlikely, if not impossible." While there has been discussion about how Franklin's work was recognized, it's clear her contributions were vital. Later, Franklin and Watson had a good scientific relationship, exchanging letters about her research. All the scientists involved published their findings in the same issue of Nature.

Harvard University

In 1956, Watson joined the biology department at Harvard University. He focused on RNA and how it helps transfer genetic information. Watson helped Harvard shift its focus from older biology studies to molecular biology. He believed that understanding molecules was key to making progress in other areas of biology.

Watson stayed at Harvard until 1976, even while also leading the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. During his time at Harvard, he spoke out on important issues, such as calling for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam and raising concerns about nuclear weapons.

Watson wrote several textbooks, including The Molecular Biology of the Gene. He also helped create Molecular Biology of the Cell and Recombinant DNA, which explained genetic engineering.

Publishing The Double Helix

In 1968, Watson wrote The Double Helix. This book tells the story of how the DNA structure was discovered. It also shares his personal feelings and the challenges faced during their work. The book is considered one of the 100 best nonfiction books.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

In 1968, Watson became the director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). He and his family moved there in 1974. Watson served as the laboratory's director and president for about 35 years.

Under Watson's leadership, CSHL grew a lot. Its main goal became to explore molecular biology and genetics to understand and treat diseases like cancer. He is praised for turning a small lab into one of the world's leading research and education centers. Scientists at CSHL made big steps in understanding the genetic causes of cancer under his guidance.

In 2007, Watson resigned from CSHL after making controversial statements about genetics and human differences. In 2019, after he repeated these views in a documentary, CSHL removed his honorary titles and ended all ties with him.

Human Genome Project

Watson in 1992

In 1990, Watson was chosen to lead the Human Genome Project at the National Institutes of Health. This huge project aimed to map out all the genes in the human body. He held this position until 1992.

Watson left the project because he disagreed with attempts to get patents on gene sequences. He believed that the human genome should belong to everyone in the world, not just one group or company.

In 1994, Francis Collins took over as director of the Human Genome Project.

Notable Former Students

Many of Watson's former students became famous scientists themselves. These include Mario Capecchi, Bob Horvitz, Peter B. Moore, and Joan Steitz. He also guided many postdoctoral researchers like Phillip Allen Sharp and Richard J. Roberts.

Other Affiliations

Watson in 2003

Watson has been involved with other organizations. He was a member of the Board of Directors for United Biomedical, Inc. He also became the head of the scientific council for the Champalimaud Foundation in 2007. In 2017, he was named a head consultant for a Chinese investment company. He has also been an adviser for the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

Personal Life

Watson is an atheist. In 2003, he signed the Humanist Manifesto, a document that expresses humanist beliefs.

Marriage and Family

Watson married Elizabeth Lewis in 1968. They have two sons, Rufus Robert Watson (born 1970) and Duncan James Watson (born 1972). Watson sometimes talks about his son Rufus, who has schizophrenia. He hopes that by sharing his story, it will encourage more research into understanding and treating mental illnesses.

Awards and Honors

Watson with the Othmer Gold Medal, 2005

Watson has received many awards for his scientific work, including:

Honorary Degrees Received

Professional and Honorary Affiliations

Images for kids

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  Watson signing autographs after a speech at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on April 30, 2007

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  Watson's name on New York City's Nobel Monument; it lists American laureates only, not Crick and Wilkins who shared the 1962 Physics Nobel.

See also

In Spanish: James Dewey Watson para niños

• Behavioral genetics
• History of molecular biology
• History of RNA biology
• Life Story – 1987 BBC docudrama about Watson and Crick's discovery of DNA structure
• List of RNA biologists
• Nobel disease
• Predictive medicine
• Whole genome sequencing