American Molecular biologist James Watson, who co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA, has died.
He passed away on Thursday, November 6, 2025 in New York, United States at the age of 97.
Born on April 6, 1928, in Chicago, Watson played a pivotal role in one of the 20th century’s most important breakthroughs.
In 1953,while at Cambridge University’s Cavendish Laboratory, he and British scientist Francis Crick proposed the double-helix model of DNA, the molecule that carries genetic information in all living organism.
Their discovery laid the foundation for modern genetics, molecular biology, gene sequencing, forensic DNA analysis, and human genome research, transforming the understanding of hereditary disorders, cancer, ancestry, and personalized medicine.
In 1962, Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology-Medicine.
Rosalind Franklin, who X-ray diffraction images were critical to their discovery, was not included, as the Nobel prize cannot be awarded posthumously.
Watson later became a leading scientific administrator, serving as director and president of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, turning it into a world-renowned centre for molecular biology.
He authored influential works, including the Double Helix and Molecular Biology of the Gene.
His later years where marked by controversy over remarks on the race and genetics, leading Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to remove his honorary titles in 2019. Despite this, Watson continued contributing to scientific discussions, including research on oxidants, antioxidants, and disease.
-9News Nigeria.
