Madison in Dane County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Pioneering Bacterial Genetics
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
Photographed By William J. Toman, July 1, 2012
1. Pioneering Bacterial Genetics Marker
Geneticist Joshua Lederberg was the first University of Wisconsin faculty member to receive the Nobel Prize. His discovery of conjugation in bacterial cells was a milestone in biology and ushered in the new field of bacterial genetics. Soon, the genetics of the bacterium Escherichia coli became better understood than the genetics of all other organisms. Lederberg also discovered, with graduate student Norton Zinder, that a virus can carry genes from one bacterium to another through a prcoess called "transduction." A man of wide knowledge and many scholarly interests, Lederberg later became president of Rockefeller University.This marker is made possible by a grant from the UW Foundation
Erected 2001 by the UW Foundation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the University of Wisconsin series list.
Location. 43° 4.458′ N, 89° 24.632′ W. Marker is in Madison, Wisconsin, in Dane County. Marker
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia (within shouting distance of this marker); Pioneering Human Genetics (within shouting distance of this marker); Discovery of Vitamins A and B (within shouting distance of this marker); Eliminating Pellagra (within shouting distance of this marker); First Chemical Synthesis of a Gene (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Controlling Blood Clotting (about 300 feet away); Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (about 400 feet away); Forging Agrarian Democracy (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Madison.
More about this marker. This marker is part of a series commemorating the sesquicentennial of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Also see . . .
1. Nobel Prize web page for Joshua Lederberg. (Submitted on July 2, 2012, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.)
2. Lederberg on the events leading up to his discovery of transduction. (Submitted on July 2, 2012, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.)
Photographed By William J. Toman, July 1, 2012
2. Pioneering Bacterial Genetics Marker
The marker is to the right of the main entrance to the Agricultural Journalism building (though the inscription over the entrance reveals its original "Genetics" function).
Photographed By William J. Toman, July 1, 2012
3. Agricultural Journalism Building
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 2, 2012, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 354 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 2, 2012, by William J. Toman of Green Lake, Wisconsin.
