First Course of the International School of History of Biological Sciences

1–15 July, 1978

The Origins of Biochemical and Molecular Embryology

Poster for First Course of the Ischia School of History of Biological Sciences. Image courtesy of the Grmek Collection at the Institute for Contemporary Publishing Archives (IMEC), Caen (France).

Poster for the First Course of the Ischia Summer School (1978).
Image courtesy of the Grmek collection (Fonds Grmek) at the Institute for Contemporary Publishing Archives (IMEC) IMEC

Preliminary program:

I. Some personal reminescences

  • J. Brachet: From chemical to molecular embryology

II. 17th and 18th Centuries

  • L. Belloni: Malpighi and Embryology
  • C. Castellani: Spallanzani's approach to the study of the physiology of generation
  • J. Roger: From Buffon's “molécules organiques” to Lamarck's “physico-chimie”
  • F. Duchesnau: Haller Versus Buffon and Woolf [Wolff] on Epigenesis

III. 19th Century

  • V. Cappelletti: Von Baer on Animal Embryology
  • I. Muller: Contributions to early concepts of chemical embryology made at the Stazione Zoologica di Napoli

IV. Classical genetics and embryology

  • V. Orel: The significance of particulate entities for Mendel
  • G. Montalenti: The first rapprochements of embryology and genetics

V. Biochemical approaches

  • M. Teich: Some remarks on the history of enzymes
  • B. Fantini: Localization of nucleic acids during development
  • R. Olby: The place of the Macromolecule in the Periodization of the History of Molecular Biology
  • M. Florkin:History of research on biochemical evolution

VI. Philosophical overviews

  • M. Grmek: Permanences and emergences in the history of embryology
  • J. M. Oppenheimer: Summary. The principal unanswered questions and how they have changed.

General Informations

English, French, and Italian will be the working languages of the course

Person wishing to attend the course should write to:

Dr. Bernardino Fantini, Instituto di Genetica
Città Universitaria - 00185 ROMA - Italy

In the application letter must be specified:

  1. date and place of birth together with present nationality;
  2. degree and other academic qualifications;
  3. list of publications (optional);
  4. present position and place of work.

The total fee, including full board and lodging (arranged by the School) is US $ 200.
Partial support can be given to some students, who need financial help. This must be specified and justified in the application letter.

Closing date for applications May 31th, 1978.

Admission to the School will be decided by a Committee consisting of Prof. M. D. Grmek, Prof. J. M. Oppenheimer, Prof. A. Monroy and Dr. B. Fantini.

We regret that, owing the limited number of places available in the lecture hall, it will not be possible to allow any person, not selected by the Committee of the School, to follow the course.

More detailed information, including the timetable of the lectures, will be sent to successfull applicants together with the acceptance letter.

M. D. Grmek Director of the School
A. Monroy Director of the Stazione Zoologica
J. M. Oppenheimer Director of the Course

The School is sponsored by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche