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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Getting an A with the 3Cs: Chromosome Conformation Capture for Undergraduates
Published on: May 12, 2023
Cyril Dean Darlington: the man who 'invented' the chromosome
1Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 5 Balfour Street, Rehavia, Jerusalem, Israel. harman@vms.huji.ac.il
Abstract:
Cyril Darlington (1903-1981) was the most famous cytologist in the world in the decades preceding the molecular revolution of the 1950s. He crossed disciplinary boundaries to create a synthesis of cytology, genetics and evolution by revealing the mechanics of chromosomal recombination and the importance of its evolution. Always controversial during his lifetime, obituaries ultimately referred to him as the 'Copernicus' or 'Newton' of cytology. This article reviews Darlington's scientific contributions, the reasons for their difficult reception at the time and their continuing relevance.
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