Genetics and the unity of biology

Abstract

The genetics community of the world is gathered here to proclaim, and to celebrate, the marvelous progress that has been made in all branches of our lofty enterprise since last we met in New Delhi, in 1983 (Chopra et al. 1984). It is a striking coincidence that the only previous occasion on which the International Congress of Genetics convened in Canada was exactly 30 years ago to the day, August 20-27, 1958 (Proceedings of the 10th International Congress of Genetics, 1959). The president of that Montreal meeting was Professor Sewall Wright, one of the great pioneers of our field. Just 3 months prior to his death last March, in his 99th year, he told me that he planned to be with us this week. He was delighted to know that two Montreal universities, McGill and Concordia, had joined together to sponsor a symposium in his honour. It is therefore fitting that we dedicate this 16th congress to him, a man whose lifelong commitment to genetics will remain forever an inspiration to us all. Within the broader realm of science, genetical research is a young endeavour. It is also an admirable and challenging vocation for young people. The fact that fully one third of the registrants at this congress are graduate students augurs well for the future, not only of basic science but also for further advances of great social and economic merit in agriculture, medicine, public health, and biotechnology. Eighty years ago, on October 23, 1908, William Bateson, the man who coined the very word 'genetics', delivered his inaugiral lecture as first Professor of Biology at Cambridge University. At the beginning of this lecture he spoke as follows: