Alexander Hollaender
Encyclopedia
Alexander Hollaender was one of the world's leading researchers in radiation biology
and in genetic mutations. In 1983 he was given the Enrico Fermi Award
by the United States Department of Energy
for his contributions in founding the science of radiation biology, and for his leadership in promoting "scientific exchanges" between American scientists and scientists from developing countries
.
In 1939 Hollaender published research showing that the mutations of spores of the ringworm fungus occurred in the same spectrum
as the absorption spectrum of nucleic acid
s indicating that nucleic acids form the building blocks of gene
s. A young Esther M. Zimmer, who worked with Dr. Hollaender at the U. S. Public Health Service (Bethesda, MD), published with Dr. Hollaender and Milislav Demerec
in this very early field of x-ray- and UV-induced mutations. Later on, Esther M. Zimmer (now Esther Lederberg
) became one of the most influential founders of bacterial and bacteriophage (Lambda
) genetics. Later on, Hollaender worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratories with M. Laurance Morse
, who himself later went on to collaborate with Esther Lederberg.
His research was not appreciated for its discovery at the time, and later scientists reports were necessary before science accepted the role of nucleic acids as the genetic material. Historians of science now realize his early discovery, and his Fermi Award recognized this discovery.
In 1981 Hollaender established the Council for Research Planning in Biological Sciences, and was its president at the time of his death from a pulmonary embolism in 1986.
Radiobiology
Radiobiology , as a field of clinical and basic medical sciences, originated from Leopold Freund's 1896 demonstration of the therapeutic treatment of a hairy mole using a new type of electromagnetic radiation called x-rays, which was discovered 1 year previously by the German physicist, Wilhelm...
and in genetic mutations. In 1983 he was given the Enrico Fermi Award
Enrico Fermi Award
The Enrico Fermi Award is an award honoring scientists of international stature for their lifetime achievement in the development, use, or production of energy. It is administered by the U.S. government's Department of Energy...
by the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
for his contributions in founding the science of radiation biology, and for his leadership in promoting "scientific exchanges" between American scientists and scientists from developing countries
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
.
In 1939 Hollaender published research showing that the mutations of spores of the ringworm fungus occurred in the same spectrum
Electromagnetic spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. The "electromagnetic spectrum" of an object is the characteristic distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by that particular object....
as the absorption spectrum of nucleic acid
Nucleic acid
Nucleic acids are biological molecules essential for life, and include DNA and RNA . Together with proteins, nucleic acids make up the most important macromolecules; each is found in abundance in all living things, where they function in encoding, transmitting and expressing genetic information...
s indicating that nucleic acids form the building blocks of gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
s. A young Esther M. Zimmer, who worked with Dr. Hollaender at the U. S. Public Health Service (Bethesda, MD), published with Dr. Hollaender and Milislav Demerec
Milislav Demerec
Milislav Demerec was a Croatian-American geneticist, and the director of the Department of Genetics, Carnegie Institution of Washington [CIW], now Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory from 1941 to 1960, recruiting Barbara McClintock and Alfred Hershey.Demerec was born and raised in Kostajnica...
in this very early field of x-ray- and UV-induced mutations. Later on, Esther M. Zimmer (now Esther Lederberg
Esther Lederberg
Esther Miriam Zimmer Lederberg was an American microbiologist and immunologist and pioneer of bacterial genetics...
) became one of the most influential founders of bacterial and bacteriophage (Lambda
Lambda
Lambda is the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals lambda has a value of 30. Lambda is related to the Phoenician letter Lamed . Letters in other alphabets that stemmed from lambda include the Roman L and the Cyrillic letter El...
) genetics. Later on, Hollaender worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratories with M. Laurance Morse
M. Laurance Morse
Melvin Laurance Morse was an American microbiologist and immunologist. He is notable for his co-discovery of Specialized Transduction....
, who himself later went on to collaborate with Esther Lederberg.
His research was not appreciated for its discovery at the time, and later scientists reports were necessary before science accepted the role of nucleic acids as the genetic material. Historians of science now realize his early discovery, and his Fermi Award recognized this discovery.
In 1981 Hollaender established the Council for Research Planning in Biological Sciences, and was its president at the time of his death from a pulmonary embolism in 1986.