Howard Temin

Howard Temin was a renowned American virologist who discovered that certain viruses can insert their genetic material into the DNA of the cells they infect, a process called reverse transcription. This groundbreaking finding showed that some viruses, like the cancer-causing ones, could alter a cell’s genetic makeup, contributing to cancer development. His work changed our understanding of how viruses interact with cells and earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1975. Temin’s research provided vital insights into cancer biology and the mechanisms of viral infection, shaping modern molecular biology.