Dr. James D. Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a scientist often touted as “discoverer of the secret of life”, will give two lectures on April 2, 2010 as part of the Academia Sinica Lecture series. The lectures entitled “From Discovery of Double Helix Structure of DNA to Developing a Research Career” and “Management of Science as an Enterprise” will be held at National Yang-Ming University and Academia Sinica, respectively. Members of the media are welcome to attend a 30-minute press conference with Dr. Watson following the second lecture.  
        Dr. Watson, listed by the Time magazine as one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century, determined the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid – or DNA – the molecule that carries life’s hereditary information, in 1953 along with colleague Francis Crick. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his achievements in physiology and medicine along with Crick and Maurice Wilkins for his work in 1962. He was just 34 years old at the time.

The discovery of the double-helical structure of DNA, a molecule that can “unzip” and make copies of itself, marked a milestone in science and gave rise to the modern specialty of molecular biology. The insights into the genetic code and protein synthesis yielded by the discovery ultimately spawned many major contemporary advances in science such as the mapping of the human genome, genetic fingerprinting and gene therapy. It also provided the basic building blocks for the scientific techniques such as recombinant DNA research, genetic engineering and rapid gene sequencing that drive today’s multi-billion dollar biotechnology industry.

        After publishing his seminal paper “A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid” from the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge University in England in 1953, Dr. Watson returned to the U.S. as a Senior Research Fellow at the California Institute of Technology. He was a member of the faculty of the Biology Department at Harvard University from 1955 to 1976 and the first director of the National Center for Human Genome Research (now the National Human Genome Research Institute) from 1988 to 1992. Dr. Watson was the director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory between 1968 and 1994, and president between 1994 and 2003. He is now Chancellor Emeritus of the US-based institution.
        During his career Dr. Watson has authored several books including the classic The Double Helix (1968), his personal account of his story on the road to the discovery of the structure of DNA. Avoid Boring People (2001) is a guide for aspiring Nobel Laureates mapping out how to go about winning the prize. He is also the author of DNA: The Secret of Life (2004).

Besides the Nobel Prize, Dr. Watson has been awarded the John J. Carty Gold Medal of the National Academy of Sciences (1971), the Copley Medal of the British Royal Society (1993), the Lomonosov Medal, Russian Academy of Sciences (1995), the Benjamin Franklin Medal for Distinguished Achievement in the Sciences (2001), an Honorary Knighthood of the British Empire (2002), and the Gairdner Award (2002). Dr. Watson also holds honorary affiliations with numerous top-ranking institutions from around the world, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1958), the National Academy of Sciences (1962), the Danish Academy of Arts and Sciences (1963), the Royal Society, U.K. (1981), the Academy of Sciences, Russia (1989), Oxford University (1994), National Academy of Sciences, Ukraine (1995), the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1999) and the National Academy of Sciences, India (2001).

        The lectures are sponsored by the Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship. The Academia Sinica Lecture series was launched in 2009. Invitation to speak as an Academia Sinica Lecturer is extended to top scholars from around the world and represents the highest honor of Academia Sinica. Dr. Roger Yonchien Tsien and Dr. Roger D. Kornberg, the Nobel Laureates in Chemistry in 2008 and 2006, respectively, were the first two lecturers in the series.

        Between April 1 and April 3 Dr. Watson will also give several other speeches in Taiwan. Three of these speeches are for the Saylin Wen Lectureship of Academic Excellence at the invitation of the University System of Taiwan. These speeches, focusing on Dr. Watson’s lifelong research career and contributions, will be held at National Tsing Hua University and National Yang-Ming University. The Lectureship, jointly founded by the Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation and the University System of Taiwan, was launched in 2007 in an effort to stimulate academic development through lectures from internationally esteemed scholars.

Event: Academia Sinica Lecture, Lecturer III, Dr. James D. Watson
Lecture A
Title:  From the Discovery of the Double Helix Structure of DNA to Developing a Research Career
Time: 10:00 – 11:30
Date: Friday, April 2, 2010
Venue: Convention Center, National Yang-Ming University, No.155, Sec. 2, Linong St., Beitou District,

Taipei City    
Speaker: Dr. James D. Watson, Chancellor Emeritus, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Moderator: Dr. Ming-Ta Hsu, Director, VYM Genome Research Center, National Yang-Ming University

Lecture B 
Title: Management of Science as an Enterprise
Time:15:30 – 17:00
Date: Friday, April 2, 2010
Venue: International Conference Hall, 3F, Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Academia Sinica, No.128, Sec.2,  Academia Road, Nankang District, Taipei City
Speaker: Dr. James D. Watson, Chancellor Emeritus, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Moderator: Dr. Chi-Huey Wong, President, Academia Sinica

Event: Press Conference with Dr. James D. Watson
Time: 17:15 – 17:45
Date: Friday, April 2, 2010
Venue: VIP Room, 2F, Humanities and Social Sciences Building, Academia Sinica, No.128, Sec.2, Academia Road, Nankang District, Taipei City