File Name: Roundt.

Averv Rouadtable

4pm Feb. 3 4 f

This event marks the date on which half a century ago the
the paper of Avery, MacLeod and McCarty appeared&n which
they claimed that the Transforming Principle "consists
principally, if not solely, of a highly polymerized, viscous form
of desoxyribonucleic acid."  It is our privilege to have with us
several of those who played a decisive part in strengthening the
evidence and in opening up the consequences of that claim,
including one who also played so decisive a part in the original
discovery, Dr. McCarty.

Our aim today is to return to those times, to recall how the
1944 paper influenced the members of our panel, to describe
the uncertainties, doubts, and hopes they had, and to indicate
briefly the important lines of research `which they took up.
They will reflect on the significance of the period between
1944 and the early 1950s. What lessons can the young
researcher today take away from this episode? Is it
characteristic of the manner in which science develops? How
cautious should scientists be in making claims for the
significance of their work? How do you compute the risk of
changing your research program?

Program of Roundtable:

The moderator will give a brief introduction to bacterial
transformation in 1944, after which a question on the general
theme of the impact of the Avery paper will be given to each
member of the roundtable. How did they react to it and what


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effect did it have on their research plans? The order of the
panel will be as follows:

1. Dr. Cohen 2. Dr. Chargaff 3. Dr. McCarty
4. Dr. Hot&kiss  5. Dr. Hershey  6. Dr. Lederberg

This will lead on to discussion between members of the
panel, and if there is time some questions will be taken from
the floor. Drs. Cohen and Chargaff will deal with the situation
outside the Rockefeller, Drs. McCarty and Hotchkiss will be
concerned with their work in the Rockefeller, and Drs. Hershey
and Lederberg will concentrate on developments in phage
biology and bacterial genetics respectively.

Timing: Introductions etc. 7 min.
    Convenor      13
   Panel questions
   @ 10 min each   60

General panel discussion 10

1 hr. 30 min.

Any remaining time for
questions from floor  max. 15 min ?

5.45 pm.