Sol Spiegelman (1914-1983) was an American molecular biologist whose pioneering discoveries accelerated the study of gene mechanisms and laid the foundations of recombinant DNA technology. His early work on enzymatic induction in yeasts demonstrated a new way to investigate how genes work. Later he developed RNA-DNA hybridization, one of the most important techniques of molecular biology, and in 1965 became the first to synthesize biologically competent and infective virus RNA in test tubes. He received a Lasker Award in 1974 for this work. From 1969 to 1983, he did innovative work on viruses that cause various cancers, developing new analytical techniques and increasing scientific understanding of retroviruses. The National Library of Medicine is the repository for the Sol Spiegelman Papers, which range from 1929 to 1983. The collection contains biographical material, correspondence, laboratory notebooks, published and unpublished writings, academic course material, subject files, memoranda, and photographic media.

As part of its Profiles in Science project, the National Library of Medicine has made available online a digitized selection of the Sol Spiegelman Papers. This website provides access to the portions of the Sol Spiegelman Papers that are now publicly available. Individuals interested in conducting research using the full collection of Sol Spiegelman Papers should contact the National Library of Medicine.

This Profile is designed to introduce you to the various phases of Spiegelman's scientific career and professional life. Narrative sections available from the navigation bar under "The Story" focus on Spiegelman's life and major scientific contributions.

Researchers can search the digitized items using the Search box or browse all Documents and Visuals in the collection by selecting "Collection Items" from the navigation bar.