Marshall W. Nirenberg Papers, 1937-2003 (bulk 1957-1997).

ArchivalResource

Nirenberg, Marshall W. Marshall W. Nirenberg Papers, 1937-2003 (bulk 1957-1997).

Marshall W. Nirenberg Papers, 1937-2003 (bulk 1957-1997).

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/84900397

Correspondence, experimental data, laboratory administration material, publications and manuscripts, photographs, research notes and notebooks, and audiovisual material document Marshall W. Nirenberg's career as a researcher in biochemical genetics at the National Institutes of Health. Series III: Lab Administration and Series IV: Lab Research comprise the bulk of the collection. Together the materials in these series paint a comprehensive and detailed portrait of the laboratory's activities. Nirenberg became Head of the National Heart Institute's Section on Biochemical Genetics in 1962. The lab later became the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics (LBG) of the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute (NHBLI), with Nirenberg becoming its Chief and Research Biochemist, a position he has held since 1966. The collection contains a wealth of material regarding the supervision of the LBG, particularly in Series III: Lab Administration. This series consists mainly of daily books, compiled by Nirenberg and his staff, which detail the everyday operations of the LBG; usually housed within three-ring binders, these volumes contain correspondence, research notes, various lists, conference programs, and other sundry materials received by the lab staff. Daily books exist from the late 1960s until the mid 1990s, providing a long-term view of the lab's operations. The collection also chronicles the LBG's shift in focus away from the study of the genetic code to that of neurobiology, reflecting Nirenberg's evolving research interests. The lab diaries, notes, notebooks, and photography within Series IV: Lab Research and the lab's annual reports in Series III: Lab Administration detail these shifts, which began around 1966 and occurred every few years as Nirenberg explored new research avenues. Written works produced by the LBG also expanded, resulting in a large body of publications by LBG staff and a collection of reprints on various topics annotated by Nirenberg and his staff through the years. In Series V: Writings, researchers can find these same works as manuscript drafts and reprints. While the collection is strong in its documentation of Nirenberg's professional career, materials related to his personal life are relatively scarce.

172 linear feet, (159 boxes + oversize).

National Library of Medicine