Marshall
Nirenberg is best known for breaking the genetic
code in 1961, an achievement that won him the
Nobel Prize. But what exactly is the genetic code?
And how did he decipher it? This exhibit will explore
genetics research in the 1950s and 1960s and explain
the importance of Nirenberg's experiments and
discoveries.
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![Portrait of Marshall Nirenberg](images/photos/00_portrait.jpg)
Marshall Nirenberg, c. 1968. |
For at least a century and a half, the method by which organisms
inherit and pass along certain traits has fascinated
scientists all over the world. From Gregor Mendel's
pea plant experiments to the Human Genome Project, new
discoveries have deepened our understanding of how life
is sustained and changed from generation to generation.
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