In this issue, we highlight some of the milestones in the journey to understand how DNA functions; Paul Nurse, a ‘yeast man’, shares his personal trip through nature and its challenges; and Evelyn Witkin turns 100.

Marshall Nirenberg

From Messy Glob to Driving Force: How Understanding DNA Revolutionized Biology

Read about the scientists who elucidated the secrets of the double helix.

Paul Nurse

Studying Yeast to Crack the Code of the Cell Cycle

Learn how Paul Nurse defined the genes involved in the regulation of the lives of cells.

Evelyn Witkin

Celebrating the 100th Birthday of a Great Scientist

Is an unquenchable joy in science the secret to longevity?

As a graduate student, Evelyn Witkin jumped up and down with excitement when she found out that bacteria have genes. She went on to spend over half a century studying bacterial genetics, and this month, she turned 100.

Read about the discoveries that earned Witkin a 2015 Lasker Award, view an extended interview in which she discusses her life in science, and see a New York Times profile on her.