Symposium to Honor Biologist Who Cracked the Genetic Code

The New York Academy of Sciences and the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will host a symposium to honor the legacy of Nobel laureate Marshall Nirenberg, PhD. The symposium, to be held from 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, at the New York Academy of Sciences,will reflect on the impact of his discovery and explore the code’s impact on current research.

Credited with “breaking the code of life,” Dr. Nirenberg, who was awarded Columbia University’s Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize in 1968—the same year as the Nobel—defined the path for new scientific discoveries. The New York Times article announcing his death in 2010 noted that,

In solving the genetic code, Dr. Nirenberg established the rules by which the genetic information in DNA is translated into proteins, the working parts of living cells. The code lies at the basis of life, and understanding it was a turning point in the history of biology.

Undoubtedly, Dr. Nirenberg's remarkable work at the age of 34 has inspired young scientists hoping to make their own mark on the world. Thanks to a special grant, registration is free for the first 100 students and fellows.

For the complete line up of speakers, the agenda, and registration details go to: www.nyas.org/GeneticCode.