Background
Witkin, Evelyn Maisel was born on March 9, 1921 in New York City. Daughter of Joseph and Mary (Levin) Maisel.
geneticist university professor
Witkin, Evelyn Maisel was born on March 9, 1921 in New York City. Daughter of Joseph and Mary (Levin) Maisel.
She returned to CSHL in 1945 and stayed there to complete her Doctor of Philosophy research. Her degree was conferred in 1947 and was employed by the Carnegie Institution to continue work at CSHL until 1955. Witkin"s research since the completion of her Doctor of Philosophy was based on deoxyribonucleic acid mutagenesis, her mutagenesis work led to her work on deoxyribonucleic acid repair.
In 1944, Witkin spent the summer at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). During her stay she isolated a Ultraviolet radiation-resistant mutant of East. coli. This was the first time mutations conferring Ultraviolet radiation-resistance were isolated.
Witkin then worked at the State University of New York"s Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn until 1971.
Witkin was appointed Professor of Biological Sciences at Douglass College, Rutgers University in 1971 and was named Barbara McClintock Professor of Genetics in 1979, and then moved to the Waksman Institute at Rutgers in 1983. She continued to work on the mechanism of the SOS response until she retired in 1991.
The SOS response to deoxyribonucleic acid damage was a seminal discovery because it was the first coordinated stress response to be elucidated.
Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Academy Microbiology. Member National Academy of Sciences, American Academy Arts and Sciences, Environmental Mutagen Society, American Genetics Society (Thomas Hunt Morgan medal, 2000), American Society Microbiology.
Married Herman A. Witkin, July 9, 1943 (deceased July 1979). Children— Joseph, Andrew.