James D. Watson, the American molecular biologist who co-discovered DNA’s double-helix structure and shared the 1962 Nobel Prize, has died at 97 following a brief illness. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory confirmed the death occurred earlier in the week on Long Island. Watson authored The Double Helix (1968), helped demonstrate mRNA, and played a central role in the early Human Genome Project. He received honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science and is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Lewis, and two sons.
James Watson, Co-Discoverer of DNA’s Double Helix, Dies at 97 — Nobel Laureate and Early Architect of the Human Genome Project
James D. Watson, the American molecular biologist who co-discovered DNA’s double-helix structure and shared the 1962 Nobel Prize, has died at 97 following a brief illness. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory confirmed the death occurred earlier in the week on Long Island. Watson authored The Double Helix (1968), helped demonstrate mRNA, and played a central role in the early Human Genome Project. He received honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science and is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Lewis, and two sons.
05:03, 08.11.2025Science
James D. Watson, the American molecular biologist who helped reveal the double-helix structure of DNA, has died at age 97.
Watson’s son said his father died in hospice care following a brief illness, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory — where Watson worked for many years — confirmed the death occurred earlier in the week on Long Island. News outlets reported the family announcement on Nov. 7.
The discovery that changed biology
Watson shared the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins for their work showing that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a double helix: two strands that coil around one another like a gently twisting ladder. Their finding laid the foundation for modern molecular biology and transformed research into genetics, medicine and biotechnology.
“Francis Crick and I made the discovery of the century, that was pretty clear,” Watson said, later adding that “there was no way we could have foreseen the explosive impact of the double helix on science and society.”
Career highlights and honors
Watson’s career included important early work on the structure of small viruses while at Cambridge University and work at Harvard that helped demonstrate the existence of messenger RNA (mRNA). He authored The Double Helix (1968), a well-known account of the discovery and the personalities involved. As a leader at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Watson played a key role in persuading scientists and funders to support the early years of the Human Genome Project.
His awards include the 1962 Nobel Prize and later honors such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom (awarded by President Gerald Ford) and the National Medal of Science (awarded by President Bill Clinton).
Personal life and legacy
Watson married Elizabeth Lewis in 1968; the couple had two sons, according to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. His work — and his book — remain central to the story of how molecular biology emerged as a dominant scientific discipline. Watson’s contributions to science are widely recognized, and his role in launching projects like the Human Genome Project helped shape modern genetics.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and news organizations memorialized Watson’s scientific achievements while noting that his work had a profound and lasting impact on science, medicine and society.