Dr. Watson Retires from CSH Laboratory

After nearly 40 years of service Dr. James D. Watson, 79 retired as chancellor of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), as well as from the CSHL Board on Thursday, October 25th. This announcement comes the heels of the board’s decision to suspend Dr. Watson as that result some derogatory comments he made that were published in that October 14th issue of the Sunday Times Magazine out of London.
Dr. Watson, who won that Noble Prize, with Francis Crick, in 1962 for the discovery of the DNA structure, Issued a statement that explained ,” Closer now to 80 than 79, the passing on of my remaining vestiges of leadership is more then overdue.” In 1968 he was appointed Director of CSHL then served as its president from 1994 until 2003.
In press statements issued by both Dr. Watson and CSHL it appears that that both parties are working toward highlighting the achievements of Dr. Watson and Cold Spring Harbor Lab while minimizing that attention away from the comments made by Dr. Watson to his former protégée Charlotte Hunt-Grubbe, who authored that article. It was published that Dr. Watson expressed that he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “all of our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours- whereas all the testing says not really”.
Neither party mentions the published comments in their statements but Dr. Watson did mention that, “The circumstances in which this transfer is occurring are not those which I could ever have anticipated or desired.” Dr. Watson issues an apology after that media publicized his remarks, but never said he was misquoted. He also mentions that thee past week’s events made him reflect on the moral values of his Scot-Irish heritage that are “guided by a faith in reason: an honest application of its messages; and for social justice, especially the need for those on top to help care for the less fortunate.”
Focusing on the progress that CSHL has made and will continue to make, both parties released statements that were words of honor and hope. Dr. Watson referred to the fact that the “Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is not one of the world’s premier sites for biological research and education.” He also mentioned that because of the laboratory and scientific advancement that answers concerning cancer as well as mental health will soon discover. As he expressed. “Finally victory is within our grasp.”
Nothing that, “Dr. Watson transformed a small facility into one of the world’s great education and research institutions,” the CSHL statement paid homage to achievements of Dr. Watson and the laboratory. His accomplishments include: initiating a program to study the cause of human cancer” and CSHL a broad cancer program, plant biology, neuroscience, and computational biology.” CSHL had also expanded its “science educational programs under Dr. Watson’s direction to include the famed Banbury Center and the DNA Learning Center that teaches middle and High School students and their teachers.”
Eduardo Meastre, Chairman of the Board of CSHL, said, “Dr. Watson had made immeasurable contributions to the Laboratory’s research and educational programs. His legacy as 1962 Nobel Prize laureate for describing the structure of DNA will continue to influence biomedical research for decades to come. The Board respects his decision to retire at this point in his career. We have great confidence in Dr. Bruce Stillman, who since 1994 has served as Director, then president, His leadership of CSHL’s 400 scientists will ensure the best environment for groundbreaking research.”
Dr. Stillman said, “Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory had been at the forefront of the research ever since it’s founding in 1890, but Jim Watson created a research environment that is unparalleled in the world of science. It was that environment that attracted me here 28 years ago. As one of the most highly rated research institutions in the world today, our many award-winning thanks to be extraordinary, young talent works here. We all owe Jim and his wife Liz a great deal of gratitude for devoting much of his professional career and all of their married life to building up Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory into leading research center. Jim’s legacy will not only include CSHL and the double helix, but his pioneering efforts that led to the sequencing of the human genome and his innovations in science writing and education...”
CSHL has served as home to a total of seven Nobel Prize-winning scientists. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a private , non- profit research and education institution dedicated to exploring molecular biology and genetics in order to advance the understanding and ability to diagnose and treat cancers, neurological diseases and other causes of human suffering.
Under the terms of his retirement Dr. Watson will be able to retain his home and office, both located on the grounds of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
-Faith Rackoff
reprinted from the 11/02/07 issue of the Oyster Bay Guardian