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San Diego: Departments

Bioengineering
There is no history currently available for this department.

Biology
The biology department was initiated with the appointment of the late David Mahlon Bonner as the first professor and chairman. Bonner was an internationally famous biochemical geneticist, who left his position as professor of microbiology at Yale University to take up the challenge of creating a new University department in La Jolla. He arrived in December, 1960 and was joined by three other members of the original faculty: John A. DeMoss, Stanley E. Mills, and S. Jonathan Singer. This group initiated a research and graduate teaching program in cell and molecular biology in temporary quarters in Sverdrup Hall of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, closely allied with a group of faculty members in the Department of Chemistry, including Martin D. Kamen, Stanley L. Miller, and Bruno H. Zimm.

After a little more than three years in La Jolla, during which brief time he made very great contributions to the future of the University, Bonner died at the age of 48. He was succeeded in June, 1964 by Singer. Early in 1965, the Department of Biology and part of the Department of Chemistry moved into what was first known as Building D. This permanent building was dedicated in May, 1965 as David M. Bonner Hall. In July, 1965, the chairmanship of the department was taken over by Clifford Grobstein, formerly of Stanford University. By the mid-1960's, the department was intensively preparing its first undergraduate course offerings to supplement its graduate program. source

Biomedical Sciences
Please see Colleges and Schools, School of Medicine.

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Last updated 06/18/04.