Jan Witkowski is currently Executive Director of the Banbury Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and a Professor in the Watson School of Biological Sciences, the graduate school program at Cold Spring Harbor. He obtained his B.Sc. in Zoology at the University of Southampton, UK, and his Ph.D. in biochemistry at the National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK (Dr. William Brighton). He carried out postdoctoral research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, (Professor Victor Dubowitz) and at the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota (Dr. Andrew Engel.)

In 1984, Dr. Witkowski went to the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London to pursue research on oncogenes (Dr. Gordon Peters.) In 1986, he was invited to join the Institute for Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston (Dr. C. Thomas Caskey), where he ran a laboratory performing DNA-based diagnosis of human genetic diseases.

Dr. Witkowski moved to his present position at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in 1987. As director of the Banbury Center, he is responsible for the topics and organization of some 20 meetings each year. These cover molecular and cell biology; genetics; biotechnology; and societal issues of modern biology. Dr. Witkowski is also an editor on the Image Archive on the American Eugenics Movement and DNA from the Beginning projects.

His special interests are human molecular genetics, the interaction of science and society, and the history of modern experimental biology. He has published many papers on these topics and was a coauthor with Dr. James D. Watson, co-discoverer of the DNA double helix, of the book Recombinant DNA: Second Edition. The third edition of this, Recombinant DNA: Genes & Genomes - A Short Course, was published in 2007. He has edited the books DNA Technology and Forensic Science; A History of Embryology; Illuminating Science (notable Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory research papers); Inspiring Science: Jim Watson and the Age of DNA (essays celebrating Dr. Watson's career); Davenport's Dream: 21st Century Reflections on Heredity & Eugenics; Life Illuminated: Selected Papers from Cold Spring Harbor, 1972-1993and The Inside Story (a collection of history articles from Trends in Biochemical Sciences).

Dr. Witkowski is on the Faculty of the Watson School of Biological Sciences, a former member of its Executive Committee (1999-2004) and a former instructor of the Scientific Ethics and Exposition course. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the James A. Baker Veterinary Research Institute (Cornell University) and Editor-in-Chief of Trends in Biochemical Sciences.

He used to be a keen rockclimber, leading hard very severe grade (equivalent to American 5.8/5.9). This activity has been curtailed by family responsibilities and by the absence of rock on Long Island. Witkowski enjoys music greatly, ranging from Dylan, the Rolling Stones and Yazoo, through Brahms, Dvorak, and Mahler, to Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi, and especially the bel canto singing of Joan Sutherland. His favorite authors include George Eliot, Charles Dickens, Henry James, Lawrence Durrell and Iris Murdoch.

Books

Inglis, J., Watson J. D. and Witkowski, J. A. (eds.) Davenport's Dream: 21st Century Reflections on Heredity & Eugenics Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. 2008.

Watson, J.D., Caudy, A. Myers, R. and Witkowski, J. A. Recombinant DNA: Genes and Genomes - A Short Course Edition. W.H. Freeman/Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. 2007.

Witkowski, J. A. (ed.) The Inside Story: From DNA to RNA to Protein Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. 2005.

Inglis, J., Sambrook, J. & Witkowski, J. A. (eds.) Inspiring Science" Jim Watson and the Age of DNA. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. 2003.

Witkowski, J. A. (ed.) Illuminating Life. Selected Papers from Cold Spring Harbor (1903-1969). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. 1999.

Witkowski, J. A. JDW: Research Pathways at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1998. (commemorative booklet for James D. Watson)

Watson, J.D., Gilman, M., Witkowski, J. A. and Zoller, M. Recombinant DNA - Second Edition W.H. Freeman, New York. 1992.

Ballantyne, J., Sensabaugh, G. and Witkowski, J. A. (eds.) DNA Technology and Forensic Science. Banbury Report #32, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989.

Horder, T., Witkowski, J. A. & Wylie, C.C. (eds.) A History of Embryology. Cambridge University Press, 1986.

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Science papers

Witkowski, J. A. (1989). Dystrophin-related Muscular Dystrophies. J. Child Neurol. 4:251-271.

McCabe, E.R.B., Towbin, J., Chamberlain, J., Baumbach, L., Witkowski, J. A. , van Ommen, G.J.B., Koenig, M., Kunkel, L.M. & Seltzer, W.K. (1989). cDNA for the Duchenne muscular dystrophy locus demonstrate a previously undetectable deletion in a patient with dystrophic myopathy, glycerol kinase deficiency and congenital adrenal hypoplasia. J. Clin. Invest. 83: 95-99.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988). The molecular genetics of Duchenne muscular dystrophy: the beginning of the end? Trends Genet. 4: 27-30.

Caskey, C.T., Gibbs, R.E., Witkowski, J. A. & Hejtmancik, J.F. (1988). Human inheritable diseases. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. B319: 353-360.

Witkowski, J. A. & Caskey, C.T. (1988). Duchenne muscular dystrophy - DNA diagnosis in practice. Current Neurology, 8: 1-36.

Hejtmancik, J.F., Witkowski, J. A. , Gunnel, S., Davis, S., Baumbach, L. & Caskey, C.T. (1988). Prenatal and carrier detection of Duchenne muscular dystrophy using recombinant DNA technology. In Nucleic Acid Probes in Diagnosis of Human Genetic Diseases. (A.M. Willey, ed.), pp. 83-100. New York: Alan R. Liss Inc.

Pizzey, J. A., Witkowski, J. A. & Jones, G.E. (1987). Spreading behavior of cultured fibroblasts from carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J. Cell Sci. 87: 163-169.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986). Tissue culture studies of muscle disorders. Part II. Biochemical studies, nerve-muscle culture, metabolic myopathies and animal models. Muscle & Nerve 9: 283-298.

Ward, P.A., Hejtmancik, J.F., Witkowski, J. A. , Baumbach, L., Gunnell, S., Speer, J., Hawley, P., Tantravahi, U., Caskey, C.T. and Latt, S. (1989). Prenatal diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy: prospective linkage analysis and retrospective dystrophin cDNA analysis. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 44: 270-281.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986). Tissue culture studies of muscle disorders. Part I. Human dystrophies, techniques, cell growth, morphology, cell surface. Muscle & Nerve 9: 191-207.

Adams, L.W., Priestly, G.C., Witkowski, J. A. & Jones, G.E. (1986). Behavior of Duchenne dystrophy fibroblasts in collagen gels. Cell Biol. Intl. Rep. 10: 509-515.

Hillier, J., Jones, G.E., Statham, H.E., Witkowski, J. A. & Dubowitz, V. (1985). Cell surface abnormality in clones of skin fibroblasts from a carrier of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J. Med. Genet. 22: 100-103.

Dunn, M.J., Burghes, A.H.M., Witkowski, J. A. & Dubowitz, V. (1985). Analysis of genetic muscle disorders by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Protides of the Biological Fluids 32: 973-976.

Appleyard, S.A., Ripley, B.D., Witkowski, J. A. , Shotton, D. & Dubowitz, V. (1985). A novel procedure for pattern analysis of features present on freeze-fractured plasma membranes. J. Cell Sci. 74: 105-117.

Witkowski, J. A. & Dubowitz, V. (1985). Duchenne muscular dystrophy: studies of cell motility in vitro. J. Cell Sci. 76: 225-234.

Jones, G.E., Pizzey, J. A. & Witkowski, J. A. (1985). The effect of monensin on cell aggregation of normal and dystrophic human skin fibroblasts. Exptl. Cell Res. 159: 540-545.

Witkowski, J. A. (1985). Detecting carriers of muscular dystrophies. Trends Genet. 2: 193-194.

Pizzey, J. A., Witkowski, J. A. & Jones, G.E. (1984). Monensin-induced inhibition of spreading in normal and dystrophic human fibroblasts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 81:4960-4964.

Witkowski, J. A. (1984). Searching for the abnormal protein in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The Muscular Dystrophy Group Journal. Winter edition.

Jones, G.E. & Witkowski, J. A. (1983). A cell surface abnormality in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: intercellular adhesiveness of skin fibroblasts from patients and carriers. Hum. Genet. 6:232-237.

Witkowski, J. A. , Statham, H.E. & Dubowitz, V. (1983). Rotation-mediated aggregation of skin fibroblasts in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.J. Neurol. Sci. 61: 425-433.

Jones, G.E., Severs, N. & Witkowski, J. A. (1982). Freeze-fracture analysis of plasma membranes in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a study using cultured skin fibroblasts.J. Neurol. Sci. 58: 185-193.

Jones, G.E. & Witkowski, J. A. (1982). Membrane abnormalities in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.J. Neurol. Sci. 58: 159-174.

Moss, D.W., Whitaker, K.B., Palmer, C., Heckmatt, J., Witkowski, J. A. , Sewry, C. & Dubowitz, V. (1981). Activity of creatine kinase in sera from healthy women, carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and cord blood, determined by the `European' recommended method with NAC-EDTA activation. Clin. Chim. Acta. 116: 209-216.

Witkowski, J. A. & Jones, G.E. (1981). Duchenne muscular dystrophy - a membrane abnormality? Trends Biochem Sci. 6: ix-xii.

Statham, H.E. & Witkowski, J. A. (1981). The effect of ionophore A23187 on protein degradation in cultured fibroblasts. Biochem Soc. Trans. 9: 78.

Jones, G.E. & Witkowski, J. A. (1981). Analysis of skin fibroblast aggregation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J. Cell Sci. 48:291-300.

Burghes, A.H.M., Dunn, M.J., Witkowski, J. A. & Dubowitz, V. (1981). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 9: 118-119.

Statham, H.E., Witkowski, J. A. & Dubowitz, V. (1980). Protein degradation in normal and dystrophic cells in culture. Biochem. J. 192: 257-262.

Harvey, A.L., Robertson, G. & Witkowski, J. A. (1980). Increased membrane potentials of human skeletal muscle fibers in explant culture.J. Neurol. Sci. 44: 273-274.

Statham, H.E. & Witkowski, J. A. (1980). Protein degradation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Cell Biol. Int. Rep. 4: 793.

Witkowski, J. A. (1977). Diseased muscle cells in culture. Biol. Rev. 52: 431-476.

Harvey, A.L., Robertson, G. & Witkowski, J. A. (1979). Maturation of human skeletal muscle fibers in tissue culture.J. Neurol. Sci. 41: 115-122.

Jones, G.E. & Witkowski, J. A. (1979). Reduced adhesiveness between skin fibroblasts from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.J. Neurol. Sci. 43: 465-470.

Witkowski, J. A. & Dubowitz, V. (1976). Comments on a report by the Research Group on Neuromuscular Diseases.J. Neurol. Sci. 29: 117-119. [correspondence]

Witkowski, J. A. & Durbidge, M.D. & Dubowitz, V. (1976). Growth of human muscle in tissue culture. In Vitro 12: 98-106.

Witkowski, J. A. & Dubowitz, V. (1975). Growth and differentiation of diseased human muscle cells in combined cultures with embryonic mouse spinal cord.J. Neurol. Sci. 26: 203-220.

Witkowski, J. A. & Brighton, W.D. (1972). Influence of serum on the attachment of tissue cells to glass surfaces. Exptl. Cell Res. 70: 41-48.

Witkowski, J. A. & Brighton, W.D. (1971). Stages of spreading of human diploid cells on glass surfaces. Exptl. Cell Res. 68: 372-380.

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History of Science Papers

Witkowski, J. A. , Chapters 10 (Genetic Fingerprinting: DNA's Day in Court), 11 (Gene Hunting: The Genetics of Human Disease) and 12 (Defying Disease: Treating and Preventing Genetic Disorders) in Watson, J. D. and Berry, A. DNA - The Secret of Life. Alfred . Knopf, New York, 2003.

Witkowski, J. A. and Inglis, J. (2003) Education by the Sea Shore. In Inspiring Science: Jim Watson and the Age of DNA. Inglis, J , Sambrook, J. and Witkowski, J. A. (eds.) pp. 443-454.

Witkowski, J. A. (2002). Mad hatters at the DNA tea party. Nature 415: 473-474.

Witkowski, J. A. (2002).Biography of Harold Varmus. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2002).Biography of Kary Mullis. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2001).The Liveliest Effusion of Wit and Humour. Trends Biochem. Sci. 26: 747-752.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000). A Brief History of Life, Or How DNA took over Biology. Newton 20: 44-47.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000). The Origins and Development of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Newton 20: 49-77.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Thomas R. Cech. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of J. Michael Bishop. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Hamilton Othanel Smith. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Joseph Needham. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Daniel Nathans. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Francis Harry Compton Crick. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of James Dewey Watson. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Ross Granville Harrison. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Michael Stuart Brown. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Sydney Brenner. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).Biography of Joseph Leonard Goldstein. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000).A History of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Encyclopaedia of the Life Sciences. Macmillan. www.els.net.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000). Plus ?a change. Trends Biochem. Sci. 26: 2.

Witkowski, J. A. (1999). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: A Brief History. In Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory School of Biological Sciences Doctoral Program.

Witkowski, J. A. (1999). Traits Studied by Eugenicists. In Image Archive on the American Eugenics Movement. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, http://vector.cshl.org/eugenics/

Witkowski, J. A. (1997). More on Revolutions in Biology. BioEssays 19: 181-182. [correspondence]

Witkowski, J. A. (1997). Deconstructing the Flowing Line: Cartoons in Biochemistry. Trends Biochem. Sci. 22: 142-146.

Witkowski, J. A. (1996). Nothing to Laugh at At All. Trends Biochem. Sci. 21: 156-160.

Witkowski, J. A. (1996). Manipulating DNA: From Cloning to Knockouts. In Foundations of Modern Biochemistry 2: Quantum Leaps in Biochemistry, 1960-1990,

Witkowski, J. A. (1995). How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love Cell. Trends Biochem. Sci. 20: 163-168.

Witkowski, J. A. (1992). Huxley in the laboratory: embracing inquisitiveness and widespread curiosity. In Julian Huxley - Biologist and Statesman of Science. (ed. A. van Helden) Rice University Press.

Witkowski, J. A. (1990). The 51 most-cited articles in the Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology. In Current Contents, #28, July 9 1990: 7-17.

Witkowski, J. A. (1990). The Inherited Character of Cancer. Cancer Cells 2: 229-257.

Witkowski, J. A. (1990). Milestones in the Development of DNA Technology. In Forensic DNA Technology. M.A. Farley and J.J. Harrington (eds.) Lewis Publishers, Inc., Michigan. pp. 1-23.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988). The discovery of 'split' genes: a scientific revolution. Trends Biochem. Sci. 13: 110-113.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988). Fifty years of molecular biology: Molecular biology's Hall of Fame. Trends Biotechnology 6: 234-243.

Witkowski, J. A. (1987). Optimistic analysis - chemical embryology in Cambridge, 1920-1942. Med. Hist. 31: 247-268.

Witkowski, J. A. (1987). Cell aging in vitro: a historical perspective. Exptl. Geront. 22: 231-248.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986). Ross Harrison and the experimental analysis of nerve growth: the origins of tissue culture. In Horder, T., Witkowski, J. A. & Wylie, C.C. (eds.). A History of Embryology. Cambridge University Press. pp.149-177.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986). Reason is silent before beauty. Trends Biochem. Sci. 11: 52.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986). Somatic cell hybrids: a fusion between cell biology, biochemistry and genetics. Trends Biochem. Sci. 11: 149-152.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986). The elixir of life. Trends Genet. 2: 110-113.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986). Schrodinger's What is Life?; entropy, order and hereditary codescripts. Trends Biochem. Sci. 11: 266-268.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986). Honor Fell. Trends Biochem. Sci. 11: 486-488.

Witkowski, J. A. (1985). The "magic" of numbers. Trends Biochem. Sci. 10: 139-141.

Witkowski, J. A. (1985). The myth of cell immortality. Trends Biochem. Sci. 10: 258-260.

Witkowski, J. A. (1985). The hunting of the Organizer: an episode in biochemical embryology. Trends Biochem Sci. 10:379-381.

Witkowski, J. A. (1983). Experimental pathology and the origins of tissue culture: Leo Loeb's contribution. Med. Hist. 27:269-288.

Witkowski, J. A. (1980). W.T. Astbury and R.G. Harrison: the search for the molecular determination of form in the developing embryo. Notes & Records Roy. Soc. 35: 195-219.

Witkowski, J. A. (1980). Dr. Carrel's immortal cells. Med. Hist. 24: 129-142.

Witkowski, J. A. (1979). Alexis Carrel and the mysticism of tissue culture. Med. Hist. 23: 279-296.

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Other Papers, Essays & Correspondence

Witkowski, J. A. (2006) The postgenomic era and complex disease. Pharmacogenomics 7: 341-343

Witkowski, J. A. (2005). Foreword Microbial Forensics eds. R. G. Breeze, B. Budowle and S. E. Schutzer, Elsevier, Amsterdam.

Witkowski, J. A. (2003). Nature, nurture and bad behavior. The Age (Melbourne) July 8.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000). Plus ?a change. Trends Biochem. Sci. 26: 2.

Witkowski, J. A. (1999). The Human Genome Programme: Origins; Goals; Current Achievements and Societal Implications. In Human Genome Research: Emerging Ethical, Legal, Social and Economic Issues. eds. M. G. K. Menon, P. N. Tandon; S. S. Agarawal and V. P. Sharma, Allied Publishers Limited, New Dehli.

Witkowski, J. A. (1999). The Current Status of the Human Genome Projects. In Human Genome Research: Emerging Ethical, Legal, Social and Economic Issues. eds. M. G. K. Menon, P. N. Tandon; S. S. Agarawal and V. P. Sharma, Allied Publishers Limited, New Dehli.

Witkowski, J. A. (1999). Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory: A Brief History. In Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory School of Biological Sciences Doctoral Program.

Witkowski, J. A. (1999). Traits Studied by Eubenicists. In Image Archive on the American Eugenics Movement. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, http://vector.cshl.org/eugenics/

Witkowski, J. A. (1997). More on Revolutions in Biology. BioEssays 19: 181-182. [correspondence]

Witkowski, J. A. (1997). The Tyranny of Genetics? The Jewish Law Report. December, pp. 5-16.

Witkowski, J. A. (1997). Brighter Biochemistry. The Biochemist, June 1997, p. 5. [correspondence]

Witkowski, J. A. (1997). Ghostly Illusions. The Biochemist. August 1998, p. 7. [correspondence]

Witkowski, J. A. (1997). Introduction to WCN Biotechnology Gene Therapy Symposium http://www.b2bnetwork.com/secure/biotechconference/j_witkowski3%20.html

Witkowski, J. A. (1996) An Introductory Guide to Recombinant DNA. In Commercial Implications of Genomic Research Conference pp. 1-6. Dillon-Read.

Witkowski, J. A. (1995). The New Human Genetics: Present Successes, Potential Perils. Clin. Biochem. Reviews. 16: 12-20.

Witkowski, J. A. (1994). How long is the human genome? Lancet 344: 480. [correspondence]

Witkowski, J. A. (1993). Sociological Discourse. Science. 260: 147. [correspondence].

Witkowski, J. A. (1992). Ramon y Cajal: observer and interpreter. Trends in Neurosciences. 12: 484. [correspondence].

Witkowski, J. A. (1990). Carrel's Cultures. [Correspondence]. Science 247: 1385-1386 .

Witkowski, J. A. (1989). Reprint requests and Current Contents. [Correspondence]. Nature 337: 684.

Witkowski, J. A. (1989). DNA and Forensic Science. The NEB Transcript 2: 1-6.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988). Fraud in medical research. New Engl. J. Med. 318: 1395. [correspondence]

Witkowski, J. A. (1984). Dr. Alexis Carrel and tissue culture. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 252: 44-45. [correspondence]

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Book Reviews

Witkowski, J. A. (2008) "The Murder of Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov" by Peter Pringle. In Nature 454: 577-579.

Witkowski, J. A. (2007) "A Life Decoded" by J. Craig Venter. In Nature 449: 785-786.

Witkowski, J. A. (2006) "J. D. Bernal: The Sage of Science " by A. Brown. In FASEB J. 21: 302-304.

Witkowski, J. A. (2004) "Life Sciences for the 21st century" by E Keinan, I Schechter, & M Sela (eds). In Proteomics 10: 3289-3290.

Witkowski, J. A. (2002) "Embryos in Wax" by Nick Hopwood. In Endeavour, 26: 161-162.

Witkowski, J. A. (2002) "Meselson, Stahl, and the Replication of DNA: A History of 'The Most Beautiful Experiment in Biology'" by Frederic Lawrence Holmes. In Trends Biochem. Sci, 27: 487.

Witkowski, J. A. (2002) "Gene Action: A Historical Account" by Werner Maas. In Trends Biochem. Sci, 27: 57.

Witkowski, J. A. (2002) "Sydney Brenner: My Life in Science" by Sydney Brenner. In Nature, 415: 263.

Witkowski, J. A. (2001) "Cracking the Genome: Inside the Race to Unlock Human DNA" by Kevin Davies. In Nature, 409: 765-766.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000) "Picture Control: the electron microscope and the transformation of biology in America, 1940-1960," by .Nicolas Rasmussen In Medical History, 44, 295-296.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000) "Proteins, Enzymes, Genes: The Interplay of Chemistry and Biology" by Joseph S. Fruton. In Trends Biochem. Sci, 25: 93-94.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000) "Genome" by Matt Ridley. In Oncology Times June 2000, pp. 63-64.

Witkowski, J. A. (2000) "Listen to the Music: The Life of Hilary Koprowski" by Robert Vaughan. In Endeavour, 24: 142.

Witkowski, J. A. (Spring/Summer 1999) "A Beautiful Mind : A Biography of John Forbes Nash, Jr." by Sylvia Nasar. In Harbor Transcript, p. 19.

Witkowski, J. A. (1999) "A History of Molecular Biology" by Michael Morange. In Trends Biochem. Sci, 24: 462.

Witkowski, J. A. (Spring/Summer 1998) "Mendel's Dwarf" by Simon Mawer. In Harbor Transcript, p. 11.

Witkowski, J. A. (Fall/Winter 1997) "Why is Sex Fun?: The Evolution of Human Sexuality" by Jared Diamond. In Harbor Transcript, p.15.

Witkowski, J. A. (Dec/Jan 1996/1997) "An Introduction to Recombinant DNA in Medicine" by Alan Emery and Sue Malcolm. In The Biochemist, p. 32-33.

Witkowski, J. A. (Dec/Jan 1996/1997) "Human Molecular Genetics" by Strachan and Read. In The Biochemist, p. 32-33.

Witkowski, J. A. (1995) "Blondes in Venetian Paintings, the Nine-Banded Armadillo, and Other Essays in Biochemistry" by Konrad Bloch. In Trends Biochem. Sci. 20, 292.

Witkowski, J. A. (1995) "DNA in the Courtroom: A Trial Watcher's Guide" by Howard Coleman. In Trends Biochem. Sci.. 20: 486-487.

Witkowski, J. A. (1993) "The Uses of Life: A history of biotechnology" by Robert Bud. In Bio/Technology, 11:620-621.

Witkowski, J. A. (Dec/Jan 1992/9) "Life Itself" by C. Rosen. In The Biochemist, p.31.

Witkowski, J. A. (1991) "Written in Blood" by Colin Wilson. In Medical History, 35: 139-140.

Witkowski, J. A. (1991) "Towards the Habit of Truth" by Mahlon Hoagland. In Trends Biochem. Sci., 16: 76.

Witkowski, J. A. (1991) "Transforming Traditions in American Biology, 1880-1915" by Jane Maienschein. In Science, 254: 1395-1397.

Witkowski, J. A. (1990) Beyond the Gene. Cytoplasmic Inheritance and the Struggle for Authority in Genetics" by Jan Sapp. In Medical History 34: 233-234

Witkowski, J. A. (1989) Science as a Process" by David Hull. In Trends Biochem. Sci. 14:420-421

Witkowski, J. A. (1989) "Is Science Necessary?" by Max Perutz. In Trends in Genetics 5:387.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988) "Autobiography of Dr. Karl Ernst von Baer" ed. J.M. Oppenheimer. In Med. Hist. 107-108.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988) "Scientists in Conference" by V. Neuhoff. In Trends in Genetics 4: 179.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988) "The Heritage of Experimental Embryology" by Viktor Hamburger. In Science 241: 365.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988) "Developmental Genetics of Higher Organisms" ed. G.M. Malacinski. In FASEB Journal: 2729.

Witkowski, J. A. (1988) "Molecular Approaches to Human Polygenic Disease" CIBA Foundation Symposium. In FASEB Journal: 2921.

Witkowski, J. A. (1986) "Penicillin: Meeting the Challenge" by G.L. Hobby. In Trends in Biotechnology 4: 163-164.

Witkowski, J. A. (1985) "Gene Cloning" by D.M. Glover. In Trends in Biotechnology 3: 80, 1985.

Witkowski, J. A. (1985) "Recombinant DNA Methodology" by J.R. Dillon et al. In Trends in Biotechnology 3: 186.

Witkowski, J. A. (1984) "Pharmacology of Nerve and Muscle in Tissue Culture" by A. Harvey. In Muscle & Nerve 8: 757.

Web projects

Co-editor and writer, Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology - A Digital Photo Archive
http://library.cshl.edu/symposia/

Co-editor and writer, Image Archive on the American Eugenics Movement
http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/

Scientific editor, DNA from the Beginning: AN Animated Primer on the Basics of DNA, Genes and Heredity
http://www.dnaftb.org/dnaftb/credits.html

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Exhibitions

Advisory Committee, New York Public Library: Seeking the Secret of Life: The DNA Story in New York
http://library.cshl.edu/DNAinNY/

Advisory Committee, New York Public Library: Honest Jim: James D. Watson the Writer

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Committees

New York State Panel to Study "Genetic Fingerprinting" (1988-1989)

New York State Scientific Review Board - DNA Fingerprinting in Forensic Science (1992-1993)

National Research Council: Committee on Sharing Laboratory Resources (1992-93)

Member, The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives (1992-)

National Park Service, Letterman (Presidio, San Francisco) Design Group (1993-1994)

Advisory Council, James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University (1998-)

Member, The MAD Scientist Network (1997-)

Fred Friendly Seminars, "Our Genes/Our Choices" Advisory Board (2001-2002)

Bioinformatics Advisory Committee, Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (2001-2002)

Editorial Work

Editor-in-Chief, Trends in Biochemical Sciences

Editor of "Reflections" column in Trends in Biochemical Sciences

Former member of the editorial board of The Journal of NIH Research

Former member of the editorial board of Genes & Development from 1988 to 1991.

Special Advisor, "Encyclopedia of the Life Sciences", Macmillan Reference Ltd.