08/11/2025
Dr. James D. Watson has passed away at 97 years old. After helping discover the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953 with Francis Crick, he wanted that knowledge to help doctors and researchers understand how diseases started. Because of this work, scientists learned more about cancer, genetic disorders, and how traits are passed from parents to children.
Watson always believed that science could make life better for people everywhere. In 1968, When Watson became director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island, New York. He helped raise millions of dollars to build new laboratories and support new research programs. Watson even gave over $5 million of his own money to expanded the Laboratory's famous "Meetings & Courses" program, which brings together scientists and trains young researchers from all over the world. He also secured major grants from groups like the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to start summer courses in neuroscience, helping students learn new skills that could one day save lives.
While Watson's later years were clouded by controversy, it's difficult to ignore the great research and scientific advancements he made. Dr. James D. Watson’s work has saved countless lives and continues to shape modern medicine all over the world.
📸 (Photo: Suzanne DeChillo / The New York Times)
