Ever since Watson and Crick first elucidated the structure of DNA in 1953, medical science has made enormous strides in understanding the basic biological mechanisms of disease.

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Dr Watson, co-discoverer with Francis Crick of the double-helical structure of DNA, was responsible for suggesting the human-genome project in the first place.

ECONOMIST: The big beasts of genomics

Watson and Francis Crick's description of DNA's double-helix structure, and in computing, with Jack Kilby's and Bob Noyce's independent inventions of the integrated circuit.

FORBES: Magazine Article