James Watson, Nobel Prize Laureate in Genetics, Passes Away

• James Watson passed away at the age of 97 after a brief illness.
• He received the Nobel Prize for discovering the structure of DNA in 1962.
• Watson's career was overshadowed by controversial statements regarding race and gender.

James Watson, a renowned molecular biologist and co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the structure of DNA, passed away on November 7, 2025, at the age of 97. This was reported by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he worked for much of his career.

Watson, unlike Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins, received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 for describing the double helix structure of DNA, which was published in the journal Nature in 1953. This discovery became a significant milestone in the development of molecular biology.

Watson was born on June 6, 1928, in Chicago. His interest in science began in childhood, and after graduating from university, he worked at Cambridge, where he became acquainted with Crick. After receiving the Nobel Prize, he became the director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, transforming it into one of the leading research centers in the world.

Throughout his career, Watson also faced criticism for his controversial statements on race and gender, which led to the loss of some prestigious titles. For instance, he sold his Nobel medal, but later it was returned to him.

Tags: Research