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My scientific specialty is chronobiology (circadian rhythms and photoperiodism), with additional interests in comparative physiology, animal behavior and evolution. I am not an MD so I cannot diagnose and treat your sleep problems. As well as writing this blog, I am also the Online Discussion Expert for PLoS. This is a personal blog and opinions within it in no way reflect the policies of PLoS. You can contact me at: Coturnix@gmail.com
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Category: History of Science
Posted on: December 2, 2007 1:12 PM, by Coturnix
One of the greatest biologists of the 20th century, Seymour Benzer died last Friday. In his obituary post John Dennehy focuses on the bacteriophage work that led to deciphering of the genetic "alphabet", and so does Carl Zimmer.
Readers of my blog probably know the name more in the connection with the discovery of the first clock mutants in Drosophila, by Ron Konopka in Benzer's lab. You can read the paper itself (pdf) and watch a video in which Benzer explains it.
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Comments
Just to emphasize further, Benzer essentially created the field of neurogenetics from nothing. Everyone thought the idea that a single gene mutation could have a specific effect on a complex behavior was totally insane. Ron and Seymour proved them wrong.
Posted by: PhysioProf | December 8, 2007 5:31 PM