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Gerald Rubin Collection: Model Organism Genome Sequencing

 Collection
Identifier: GR

Scope and Content

This collection is related to the development of a catalog for the Human Genome Project Archives. Of historical value is a terms agreement concerning the Drosophila genome sequencing project, signed by Craig Venter (founded Celera Genomics in 1998), Gerald Rubin, and an official from the University of California at Berkeley (1999). Also included is material concerning the Department of Energy’s 1992 decision regarding which organism to use for sequencing: worms, or flies. Letters from future Nobelists Robert Waterson and John Sulston praise the superiority of worms, and opposing views from Jasper Rine and Gerald Rubin promote flies as the ideal model organism. Views from other scientists such as Raymond Gesteland and Lloyd Smith are also included.

Correspondence between the Department of Energy and National Institutes of Health relevant to the Drosophila mapping project are also present in this collection.

Dates

  • Creation: 1992-1999

Creator

Access Restrictions

Some restrictions apply, see Archivist for details. Access is given only by appointment, 8:00a.m. to 4:45p.m. Monday through Friday.

Use Restriction

Archival materials must remain in the archival reading area. Item duplication is to be done by archivists. Fees are applied to copies made. Digital photography is permitted by users.

Biography

Gerald Rubin first came to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory as part of the Undergraduate Research Program in the early 70s, working under Lionel Crawford and Ray Gesteland before moving to Cambridge to earn his Ph.D. in molecular biology. He did postdoctoral work at Stanford University School of Medicine and became an assistant professor of biological chemistry at Harvard Medical School prior to commencing his genetics professorship at Berkeley in 1983. He is a professor of Genetics and Development at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, as Vice President and Director of the Janelia Research Campus at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Ashburn, Virginia, directs scientific programs that are developing biological and computational tools for transforming the study of biology and medicine. The tools developed at Janelia are capable of analyzing and displaying the vast amount of information available from the genomic sequencing of the fruit fly, among others. These techniques are used to decipher gene regulation and expression at a genome-wide level in Drosophila and determine the function of certain fruit fly genes.

Gerald Rubin is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. He is a recipient of the American Chemical Society Eli Lilly Award in biological chemistry.

Extent

2 Files

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Dr. Gerald Rubin Collection contains documents pertinent to the Drosophila sequencing project collaboration in 1999, the Celera Genomics collaboration, and correspondence with the Department of Energy concerning support for model organism sequencing.

Arrangement Note

Materials were received directly from Dr. Rubin and original order was maintained.

Provenance

This collection was donated by Gerald Rubin in December, 1999 from his personal collection. It was accessioned in January 2010, accession number 2010-109. The collection was processed in August 2012.

Related Collections

Related collections in the CSHL Library and Archives are the Norton Zinder Collection, the James D. Watson Collection, and the Sydney Brenner Collection. His interview can be found at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Oral History Office. Scholars should also refer to other institutions including Georgetown University, The National Human Genome Research Institute, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Archives.

Title
Gerald Rubin Collection
Status
Completed
Subtitle
Model Organism Genome Sequencing
Author
Finding Aid Prepared by Clare Clark. Finding Aid Updated by Em Longan, June 2022.
Date
2011
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Archives Repository

Contact:
Library & Archives
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
One Bungtown Rd
Cold Spring Harbor NY 11724 USA
516-367-6872