The Globalization of Drosophila Genetics Main Page : Drosophila Information Service Geographic Directories Country Profiles: Brazil : Chile : France : Germany : Great Britain : India : Japan : Mexico : Spain : USA : USSR

Methods and Sources

Model Organisms

Numbers of publications per year were compiled from the publication databases for the organisms posted as links from the Genetics Society of America website.

Demographics and Country Profiles

Data for different country profiles was extracted from the Drosophila Information Service Geographic Directories.

While most research libraries have the DIS, most libraries have discarded the geographic directories. I have collected copies of the directories for many of the years between 1934 and 1970. I am missing directories for for 1938, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1961, 1964, 1966, and 1969. I did not include information from geographic directories after 1970, because these later directories did not list all of the workers in Drosophila laboratories.

Copies of the Geographic Directories used are posted on this website as PDF files.

Many of the Directoy entries included breif descriptions of research interests. David Horowitz categorized these interests into research areas and then enumerated them for each laboratory. Tables of numbers of researchers and their areas of study are given in each Country Profile linked above.

 

Rationale for Categorization of Drosophila Workers by David Horowitz

Many of the scientists in is DIS newsletter researched multiple topics simultaneously, and I felt it to be more reasonable to assign each scientist to each topic that he or she was studying instead of trying to discern which topic was most important for that researcher. Thus, some of the labs appear to have more workers than is truly the case if you sum the number of workers in each category. The true number of workers for each laboratory is listed in the column “workers.” I divided the research done by the Drosophilists into 5 categories: transmission genetics, cytogenetics, mutagenesis, gene action, population genetics, and biochemistry.

Transmission genetics was the category that I placed research that was described as “general genetics,” unless another category was specified as a topic of special interest to the scientist. Mosiacism was placed into this category, as well as anything with “factor” or “allele” in the description. Mutations were placed into this category, unless they dealt directly with another category (such as mutagenesis). Lethal genes were placed into this category, as well as heterosis.

Cytogenetics contained virtually everything that had to do with chromosomes or the cell. Obviously, work described as “cytogenetics” was placed in this category. Additionally, work dealing with the structure of and problems with chromosomes was put into the category. For example, deletions, translocations, and aneuploidy were included in the category. Crossing-over was included in the category. Cytology was included. The study of salivary gland chromosomes was included in the category.

Mutagenesis was the category that included mutation caused by x-rays, neutrons, UV light, and chemicals. Such mutations were usually referred to as “induced mutations.” Radiation genetics and things described as “mutagens” were placed into this category.

Gene action was the category into which I placed most everything that had to do with the expression of genes. Developmental genetics and embryology were placed into this category. Phenogenetics was also placed into this category. Physiological genetics was placed into this category. Specific gene actions, such as melanism or the growth of tumors was were also placed in the category.

The work that went into population genetics was often referred to as such. I also included speciation and the comparative genetics of species in the category of population genetics. Wild populations were included in this category. Selection was also placed in this category.

Biochemical genetics was also often referred to as such. Additionally, chemical genetics, biochemistry, and cytochemistry were included in this category. The associated technologies of biochemical genetics (such as chromatography) were also placed in this category. The use of radioactive isotopes as markers was included in this category.