Barbara McClintock has become known as one of the most promising women scientists of the 20th century, winning Nobel Prize in 1983 for her revolutionary discovery of genetic elements called transposons – also known as “jumping genes.” Barbara McClintock paved the way for today’s comprehensive understanding of the many intricate details of genetic science.
Early Life and Education
Barbara McClintock was born on June 16th, 1902, in Hartford, Connecticut. Her passion for science was evident from early on, however, due to the limited opportunities for women, she was only able to study botany at Cornell University, graduating in 1923. Despite this limitation, she obtained a master’s degree in cytology in 1925 and later taught at Cornell University until 1931.
Research in Genetics
In 1931, Barbara McClintock was employed as a researcher at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, where she discovered that chromosomes have bands, thereby creating a foundation for the field of genetic research. In 1940, she pioneered a new way to measure these bands, called the “McClintock techniques”, which established her as a leading expert in this field.
Discovery of Jumping Genes
Barbara McClintock dedicated most of her time to researching the role of genes in changing the traits of maize plants, later called “McClintock’s Corn Project”. Her research demonstrated the movement of genetic elements, which she termed “controlling factors” and later renamed transposons. This groundbreaking discovery revolutionized the field of genetics, leading to our understanding today of the many intricate details of genetic science.
Significance of her Discovery
Barbara McClintock’s discovery of the existence of transposons or “jumping genes”, has revolutionized our understanding of the human genome. It demonstrated that the genetic pieces that make up our bodies can be switched on and off, and it is now known that certain genetic elements are able to move around and have a major impact on how our bodies are shaped.
This has had a significant impact on our understanding of a wide range of diseases, with some conditions now believed to be a consequence of transposons influencing the body’s ability to regulate certain functions and processes. For example, some cancers are now known to be caused by transposons and geneticists use Barbara McClintock’s discoveries to identify the genetic basis of many human diseases.
Barbara McClintock’s Contribution to Genetics
Barbara McClintock’s research and findings had a profound impact on the field of genetics and she is today regarded as one of the most influential women scientists of the 20th century. Beyond her seminal findings in regards to transposons, she is also known for her discoveries in relation to recombination of chromosomes, genetic variation, and mutation and chromosome loss in corn.
Awards and Accolades
In 1983, Barbara McClintock was awarded a Nobel Prize for her revolutionary findings in the field of genetics. She was the first female recipient of this award in the science field, with her discoveries still proving to be of fundamental importance today.
She was also recognized with the National Medal of Science in 1970 and the esteemed Gairdner Award in 1981. In 1984, the National Institutes of Health launched the Barbara McClintock Prize in her honour, and many of her papers are now housed at the Smithsonian in Washington DC.
Barbara McClintock is an example of a scientist who persisted in the face of a male-dominated field and used her genius to discover something truly revolutionary. Her discovery of transposons, which are now known as “jumping genes”, has had a profound impact on our understanding of the human genome and has fundamentally changed the way scientists look at genetics. She is remembered today as the Nobel Prize-winning geneticist who contributed significantly to our knowledge of genetic science, and whose findings are still being used today.
