In Memoriam: Howard Temin, the Fierce Scholar

Abstract

Howard Temin, who died on February 9, 1994, was driven by the genetic preoccupations of the “phage group” to an insight that was fundamental to thedevelopment of contemporary cellular biology. Howard went to Caltech in 1955 to begin graduate studies, and there developed a unique scientific style, blending the influences of Max Delbrück and Renato Dulbecco. His work was marked by a devotion to understanding the genetic issues posed by cancer-inducing viruses. This focus on genetics put him firmly in the traditions of American science dating back to the beginning of the century, and his concern with virus-induced cancer also built on a rich past. But Howard‘s fierce belief in himself, his deep scholarship, and his remarkable insight allowed him to realize a synthesis that made him one of the most creative scientists of the twentieth century.