Anecdotal , Historical and Critical Commentaries on Genetics Edited by James F . Crow and William F . Dove Remembering Rollin Hotchkiss ( 1911 – 2004 )

ROLLIN HOTCHKISS, the distinguished biochembut he always seemed more intensely interested in knowing what others were doing and thinking, be they scienist and geneticist, died last December at the age of 93. I met Rollin in the summer of 1945 in Cold Spring tific stars or lowly graduate students. It was not all serious, however, and humor ran high. Rollin’s playfulness Harbor. He had come to take the phage course, which was being offered for the first time that year. He returned was legendary, and I remember the inspired nonsense he created at the mock “graduation ceremonies” that as a summer investigator for many years thereafter, and during those summers I came to know him well and to took place every summer at the end of the phage course (Susman 1995). He brought the house down with his admire him as a superb scientist and an exceptionally fine human being. The last time I saw Rollin was at performance as the decrepit “oldest living alumnus” of the course, a role that he had earned by having taken a gathering to celebrate his 85th birthday, a festivity arranged by his wife, Magda Gabor-Hotchkiss, in Lenox, the course the first time it was offered. Early in his research career, Rollin established beyond Massachusetts, where they had lived since 1982. The outpouring of affection and appreciation expressed doubt that DNA, and not protein, is the genetic material in bacteria. He was an active player in the molecular there by his family, friends, colleagues, and former students was overwhelming. In the same measure that he biology revolution, and his research contributed to a broad range of fields. Although he was best known for was loved, he will be missed. Rollin had a brilliant, analytical mind and a lively sciendeconstructing the process of genetic transformation in bacteria, he also worked on chemical immunology, tific imagination. He was kind, generous, and empathic, with a ready wit and an irrepressible sense of fun. He cytochemistry, antibiotics structure and mode of action, surface-active antiseptics, enzymes in subcellular particould summarize a symposium masterfully and then cles, and chemistry of nucleic acids; in collaboration go on to lampoon its more contentious moments in with others, including his wife, he worked on mutant hilarious original verse. At a conference, he could offer exonucleases, genetic recombination, bacterial protoa penetrating critique of a young scientist’s vulnerable plast fusion, and control of chromosome expression. conclusions so gently that it would come across as conHe was interested in the history of genetics and wrote structive advice rather than as a devastating embarrassabout it extensively. ment. He had sterling personal and scientific integrity Born in South Britain, Connecticut, Rollin developed and a genuine concern for the social consequences of an early interest in science that was encouraged in high science. He was considerate and respectful of every perschool. After his score topped all 14,000 high school son he encountered. students taking a nation-wide academic achievement I remember Rollin most vividly as he was during those test, his principal drove him to New Haven and saw to it summers at Cold Spring Harbor. Many of the movers that he was enrolled at Yale University. He was graduated and shakers of the exploding field of molecular genetics from Yale in 1932 with a B.S. in chemistry, and only 3 spent part or all of their summers there, and Rollin was years later he received a Yale Ph.D. in organic chemistry. always in the thick of the exciting nonstop talk that took He then joined the Rockefeller Institute (now Rockefelplace in the labs, on the beach, and at meals. His own ler University) in New York City, which remained his work was at the leading edge and was much discussed, base throughout his career. Starting as a fellow, he advanced steadily in rank, becoming member and professor in 1955 and then professor emeritus at his retire1Address for correspondence: 1 Firestone Ct., Princeton, NJ 08540. E-mail: [email protected] ment in 1982, when he and his wife moved to Lenox.