Process Paper
Before 1953 many of the details about how the human body works were not known, especially in relation to Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA) and genetics. I have always been very interested in these topics and I would like to learn all that I can. NHD seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn more, so I picked the Discovery of the Structure of DNA. James Watson, Frances Crick, and other scientists broke a knowledge barrier when they discovered that the DNA molecule was a double helix. When they broke this barrier it opened doors to many new topics including DNA replication which ultimately led to the Human Genome Project.
I began my research on the internet using the database Gale in Context. I found some primary sources including the article that Watson and Crick published with their proposal on the structure of DNA. I also went to the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, there I found some books that were helpful in my research. Another source I used was the University of Cambridge website where Watson and Crick studied.
I chose to create a website to display my project because I wanted to do something that was a little more unique than an exhibit. I used NHDWebCentral to make the website. This made it possible to create different pages as a way to organize my research. This makes it easier to find the information on Watson and Crick that is needed. I added a lot of pictures to make sure the reader could understand the topics. I wanted my project to really stand out, so I used colors like maroon, light blue, light orange, and gray throughout the website.
My topic of Discovering the Structure of DNA relates to the theme of Breaking Barriers in History because it was something that scientists had been questioning for a very long time. When Watson and Crick figured out that it was a double helix it broke a major barrier in the field of science. After they figured out what DNA looked like scientists were able to figure out how DNA copies itself. It also led to the Human Genome Project in 1989. This project was designed to figure out everything that was inside the human genome which would tell scientists a lot about the human body. Gene Therapy is a treatment that was developed after the Human Genome Project. It is a process that has saved many lives, but is still in clinical trial in the United States. It changes DNA to what it’s supposed to be and that will then cure the disease. Gene Therapy is a new technique that will continue to be innovated for years to come. There is no limit to the possibilities of new cures, but without Watson and Crick to kick it off much of it wouldn’t be possible.
Annotated Bibliography
Primary Sources
"Ashanthi DeSilva—Very First Gene Therapy Patient." YouTube, uploaded by Biotechnology Innovation Organization, 7 June 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgES04-cSr8. Accessed 22 Jan. 2020. This video gave me insight into what Ashanti DeSliva was going through when she underwent different treatments to cure her rare disease. One of which was Gene Therapy.
"Diagram of the Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid (DNA) Primary Source: Molecular Structure..." 1950-1959, edited by Cynthia Rose, Detroit, Gale, 2004. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3490288389/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=1318eff8. Accessed 20 Dec. 2019. This picture gives me an understanding of what they thought DNA looked like.
Franklin, Rosalind, and Raymond G. Gosling. Photo 51. May 1952. Linus Pauling and The Race for DNA, scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/coll/pauling/dna/pictures/sci9.001.5.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2020. This is an image of Rosalind Franklin's Photo 51 that Watson and Crick used to create their model.
Gallery 19: James Watson and Francis Crick. DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, dnalc.cshl.edu/view/16427-Gallery-19-James-Watson-and-Francis-Crick.html. Accessed 25 Jan. 2020. This photo shows Watson and Crick at Cambridge University where they were studying.
"James D. Watson and Francis H. C. Crick with Model of DNA." 1950-1959, edited by Judith S. Baughman et al., Detroit, Gale, 2001. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3468387835/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=e9916092. Accessed 20 Dec. 2019. This showed me the model that Watson and Crick had, and they are next to it.
"James Watson: How we discovered DNA." YouTube, uploaded by TED, 16 May 2007, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HgL5OFip-0. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This video has James Watson talking about his discovery, and the advancements they are making today with DNA in terms of cancer.
Maurice Wilkins. 1960s. Linus Pauling and The Race for DNA, scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/coll/pauling/dna/pictures/portrait-wilkinsmodel.html. Accessed 27 Jan. 2020. This is a photograph of Maurice Wilkins and a model of DNA. It draws a connection between the writing and who he actually was.
The Nobel Prize Award Ceremony 1962. Nobel Media AB 2020, 1962. The Nobel Prize, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1962/award-video/. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020. This source showed what it was like to have a ceremony for the Nobel Prize in the 1960s, and how Watson and Crick fit in with it.
Rosalind Franklin. DNA from the Beginning, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, www.dnaftb.org/19/bio-3.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2020. This is an image of Rosalind Franklin. I used it where I wrote about her work with DNA.
"A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid." Medicine, Health, and Bioethics: Essential Primary Sources, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, Detroit, Gale, 2006, pp. 29-32. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3456500024/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=36917639. Accessed 16 Dec. 2019. This is a primary source is a journal article written by James Watson and Francis Crick. It explains their findings and shows how they are different from other scientists thoughts.
Talk of the Nation: Science Friday. Gale, n.d. Gale in Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/pub/5PXH/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This interview showed me what James Watson really thought about DNA, and where he thought it would go in the future.
Watson, James, and Francis Crick. "(RARE) Interview with James Watson and Francis Crick." Interview conducted by Horace Freeland Judson. YouTube, 16 Dec. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGBDFq5Kaw0. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This interview showed what Watson and Crick were like in real life, and it showed their view on a lot of subjects.
Watson Crick. University of Cambridge, www.phy.cam.ac.uk/history/historypictures/watson-crick.jpg/view. Accessed 8 Jan. 2020. This image shows Watson and Crick at Cavendish labs at the University of Cambridge.
Secondary Sources
"Advances in Gene Regulation, Gene Expression, and Developmental Genetics." Science and Its Times, edited by Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer, vol. 7, Detroit, Gale, 2001. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CV2643450745/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=935588e8. Accessed 19 Dec. 2019. This source helped me to understand what scientists thought DNA was before Watson and Crick showed them what it was. It also helped me to understand the impact their discovery had.
Allen, Howard. "James D. Watson." The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s, edited by William L. O'Neill and Kenneth T. Jackson, New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K3436600628/UHIC?u=eau63660&sid=UHIC&xid=875bf140. Accessed 7 Jan. 2020. This cite gave information on where Watson and Crick researched, and on the relationship they had.
"As Genetic Sequencing Spreads, Excitement, Worries Grow." Morning Edition, Gale, 2012. Gale in Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A303322915/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=9f57a9d9. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This audio clip showed how DNA has influenced cancer. It also compares what a human genome was like a long time ago to what it is like today.
Bynum, William. A Little History of Science. Yale UP, 2012. This book helped further my knowledge on the impact Watson and Crick had on the whole field of science. It also had some information on the Human Genome Project, and Linus Pauling.
"Cost per genome data." 2019. National Human Genome Research Institute, www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/DNA-Sequencing-Costs-Data. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This graph shows that the cost aspect for sequencing human DNA has gone down considerably.
DNA Analysis through Blood Sample. this., Deakin University, 2017, this.deakin.edu.au/career/interview-tips-to-help-you-land-a-new-role. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This image shows how scientists use samples from crime scenes to provide a more accurate solution to the problem that occurred.
DNA Image. Extreme Tech, 13 Nov. 2019, www.extremetech.com/extreme/301888-researchers-find-more-than-1-million-alternatives-to-dna. Accessed 25 Jan. 2020. This is an image of the double helix structure of DNA.
"Fast folding." physicsworld, 8 Aug. 2019, physicsworld.com/a/quantum-approach-reveals-faster-protein-folding/. Accessed 26 Jan. 2020. This is an image of a protein molecule. Scientists thought that protein molecules were more interesting than DNA, and this a helpful visual.
"Gene Therapy: Promises and Problems." Medicine, Health, and Bioethics: Essential Primary Sources, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, Detroit, Gale, 2006, pp. 65-67. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3456500036/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=3158d141. Accessed 8 Jan. 2020. This cite helped me to realize the connection between Watson and Crick's discovery and Gene Therapy
"History of Genetics: The Discovery of the Watson-Crick Model of DNA." World of Genetics, Detroit, Gale, 2007. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CV2433500266/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=0cd2ef0f. Accessed 18 Dec. 2019. This source give me insight into what people thought DNA was before Watson and Crick's discovery. Scientists knew that it was genetic material and this gives me information about that.
Hockstein, Evelyn. Eric D. Green. 15 Apr. 2019. The New York Times, The New York Times Company, www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/science/the-human-genome-project-then-and-now.html. This image shows the man that is the current director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).
"The Human Genome Project." National Human Genome Research Institute, 7 Oct. 2019, www.genome.gov/human-genome-project. Accessed 21 Jan. 2020. This website has some comparisons between other types of science and The Human Genome Project. There are also some important dates that are given on the website.
"James D. Watson." Notable Scientists from 1900 to the Present, edited by Brigham Narins, Detroit, Gale, 2008. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1619002865/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=a94658ae. Accessed 19 Dec. 2019. This source gave details and evidence to support that Watson and Crick's discovery had an impact on the Human Genome project.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Gene therapy." Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/gene-therapy/about/pac-20384619. Accessed 25 Jan. 2020. This website had information on the Gene Therapy, and where it is now.
Mitha, Farhan. "The Return of Gene Therapy." Labiotech.eu, edited by Helen Albert, www.labiotech.eu/features/gene-therapy-history/. Accessed 17 Dec. 2019. This cite has information on a girl that was cured due to Gene Therapy. Gene Therapy was created using Watson and Crick's ideas.
"NHGRI History and Timeline of Events." National Human Genome Research Institute, www.genome.gov/about-nhgri/Brief-History-Timeline#one. Accessed 19 Dec. 2019. This source gave me insight as to what the Human Genome Project was all about, and how it was involved with the discovery made by Watson and Crick.
PBS Wisconsin. 21 Apr. 2003, www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/before-watson-crick/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2019. This source explained to me what the world of science was mainly focused on before biology became a topic that everyone wanted to learn about.
Replication: Doubling Up on DNA. Visible Body, 26 Sept. 2019, www.visiblebody.com/blog/dna-and-rna-basics-replication-transcription-and-translation. Accessed 28 Jan. 2020. This is an image of DNA replicating itself. It is splitting and then new bases will be added to create two new strands of DNA.
"Science Rap B.A.T.T.L.E.S. Bring Hip-Hop into the Classroom." Morning Edition, Gale, 2013. Gale in Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A339557873/BIC?u=eau63660&sid=BIC&xid=2bc7e235. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This source confirmed my thoughts about what people originally thought of DNA as.
"23 ways that DNA changed the world." Independent, 26 Feb. 2003, www.independent.co.uk/news/science/23-ways-that-dna-changed-the-world-5352712.html. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This site opened my eyes to more ways that DNA is being used in everyday life.
U.S. Department of Energy. "Using DNA to Solve Crimes." The United States Department of Justice Archives, 7 Mar. 2017, www.justice.gov/archives/ag/advancing-justice-through-dna-technology-using-dna-solve-crimes. Accessed 13 Jan. 2020. This website from the Department of Justice shows how DNA helps them solve crimes. It helped relate DNA to the current world.
"Verdict." 9 Apr. 2019. Genetic Literacy Project, 9 Apr. 2019, geneticliteracyproject.org/2019/04/09/crisprs-challenge-its-still-easier-to-subtract-genes-than-it-is-to-add-them/. Accessed 29 Jan. 2020. This image provides a visual explanation for what Gene Therapy is how it works.
"Watson and Crick (1928-)." BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/watson_and_crick.shtml. Accessed 12 Jan. 2020. This website gave an overview of the lives of Watson and Crick and it gave some information on the Nobel Prize that they won.
"What Are Tumor Suppressor Genes?" 9 Feb. 2015. National Cancer Institute, www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/what-is-cancer#how-cancer-arises. Accessed 16 Feb. 2020. This image shows how DNA affects the cancer in a cell, and the difference between a normal cell and a cancerous cell.
Whitesides, J. G. "Genetics." Dictionary of American History, edited by Stanley I. Kutler, 3rd ed., vol. 3, New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003, pp. 532-33. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3401801676/UHIC?u=eau63660&sid=UHIC&xid=2c50b28f. Accessed 20 Dec. 2019. This website has a whole timeline of biology. It can tell me what happened in the field in different years.