The Recombinant University: Genetic Engineering and the Emergence of Stanford Biotechnology

331 Pages·2015·1.517 MB·English

by  Doogab Yi

The Recombinant University
A series in the history of chemistry, broadly construed, edited by
Angela N. H. Creager, Ann Johnson, John E. Lesch, Lawrence M.
Principe, Alan Rocke, E. C. Spary, and Audra J. Wolfe, in partnership
with the Chemical Heritage Foundation.
The Recombinant University
Genetic Engineering and the Emergence
of Stanford Biotechnology
doogab yi
the university of chicago press chicago and london
doogab yi is assistant professor of history and science and technology studies at Seoul
National University, where he teaches the history of science as well as science and the law.
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637
The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London
© 2015 by The University of Chicago
All rights reserved. Published 2015.
Printed in the United States of America
24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 1 2 3 4 5
isbn- 13: 978-0 - 226- 14383- 5 (cloth)
isbn- 13: 978-0 - 226- 21611- 9 (e- book)
doi: 10.7208/chicago/9780226216119.001.0001
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Yi, Doogab, 1974– author.
The recombinant university : genetic engineering and the emergence of Stanford
biotechnology / Doogab Yi.
pages cm — (Synthesis)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978- 0- 226- 14383- 5 (cloth : alkaline paper) — isbn 978- 0- 226- 21611- 9 (e- book)
1. Recombinant DNA—Research—California—Stanford—History—20th century.
2. Genetic engineering—Research—California—Stanford—History—20th century.
3. Biotechnology—Research—California—Stanford—History—20th century. 4. Stanford
University—History—20th century. I. Title. II. Series: Synthesis (University of Chicago.
Press)
qh442.y54 2015
572.8'77—dc23
2014031905
♾ This paper meets the requirements of ansi/niso z39.48- 1992 (Permanence of Paper).
for jawon

Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
chapter 1. Communal Form of DNA Research 18
chapter 2. “Mass Migration” and Technologies of Gene
Manipulation 53
chapter 3. System of Exchange in Recombinant DNA Research 83
chapter 4. Moral and Capitalistic Economies of Gene Cloning 113
chapter 5. Who Owns What? Private Ownership and Public
Interest 138
chapter 6. Reenvisioning the Biomedical Enterprise in the Age of
Commercial Biotechnology 172
Conclusion 213
List of Abbreviations 221
Notes 223
Works Cited 283
Index 309

Acknowledgments
Ih ave incurred many debts in the course of this book project, and I
am very happy to have the chance finally to acknowledge some of the
many people to whom I am indebted. First, I would like to thank An-
gela Creager, Michael Gordin, Graham Burnett, and Bruno Strasser, for
their scholarly guidance and help at the initial stage of this book project.
Their scholarly erudition, sharp historical analysis, and encouragement
are greatly appreciated.
While book writing can be a solitary activity, I have been very fortunate
to be surrounded by wonderful individuals in a supportive environment.
I especially learned so much from those at the History of Science Pro-
gram at Princeton. Among them, I would like to thank Dan Bouk, John
DiMoia, Nathan Ha, Kevin Kruse, Elizabeth Lunbeck, the late Michael
Mahoney, Tania Munz, Joe November, Daniel Rodgers, Alistair Sponsel,
Jeris Stueland, Helen Tilley, and Matt Wisnioski, for their valuable feed-
back and patience. Those at the Office of History, National Institutes of
Health (NIH), and National Library of Medicine provided a collegial en-
vironment and useful suggestions for revising my manuscript. Among
them, I would like to thank Eric Boyle, David Cantor, Brian Casey, Chin
Jou, Sharon Ku, Robert Martensen, Todd Olzewski, Sejal Patel, and Laura
Stark. A few NIH scientists and former administrators, especially Mel De-
pamphilis, the late Norman Latker, and Bernard Talbot, provided their
recollections and offered valuable suggestions on my book draft. I owe
special thanks to Dr. John E. Niederhuber, then director of the National
Cancer Institute, for supporting my Stetten Fellowship from 2008 to 2011.
Many historians of science whom I encountered during this project
have provided stimulating points of discussions and sources of inspira-
tions. I especially thank Elizabeth Berman, Soraya de Chadarevian, Na-