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Michael Potter Exhibit

“In the 1950s, a ferment of new theoretical ideas on the cellular and genetic basis of antibody formation electrified the field of immunology and began a new age in experimentation.  Two problems dominated the thoughts of scientists during most of this decade—the cellular basis of antibody formation (how did it work?) and the genetic basis of antibody diversity (how could the genes in one individual generate antibodies for the thousands and thousands of antigens?).  …The pace of research was remarkable. One bridge between fields such as immunology, cancer research, protein chemistry, and molecular biology was the plasma cell.”
  —Michael Potter “The Early History of Plasma Cell Tumors in Mice, 1954-1976.”

The DeWitt Stetten, Jr., Museum of Medical Research

A journey into NIH's past…and present