Evelyn Witkin and the Road to DNA Enlightenment

For decades Evelyn M. Witkin, professor emerita at Rutgers University, has been a towering figure in genetics.

Recently she was awarded the Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for groundbreaking work into how DNA responds to damage, a process essential to all living organisms.

At 94, Dr. Witkin’s own DNA appears to be in excellent condition. We met at her townhouse not far from Princeton University. A condensed and edited version of that interview and a subsequent telephone conversation follows. NY Times