George Poinar, Jr.

George O. Poinar, Jr. ( b. 1936 ) is an American entomologist and author. He became known for his idea to extract DNA from insects trapped in amber. This idea was picked up by Michael Crichton for his verfilmtes the same title book Jurassic Park.

Life

Poinar acquired at Cornell University the degrees BS and M. S., where he also gained his doctorate in 1962 for Ph.D. in biology. He undertook research in the Department of Entomology at the University of California, Berkeley. Here and in the course of his travels, he conducted research on nematodes, including parasitic nematodes to insects and insects in amber.

Poinar 1992 believed to have extracted some 125 million -year-old Lebanon - Bernstein ( a weevil ), together with his wife, his son Hendrik and Dr. Raul Cano of California Polytechnic State University DNA from an insect. Recent studies of fossil DNA, however, gave rise to considerable doubt on the accuracy of these results.

In 1995, Poinar went to Oregon, where he co-founded with his wife Roberta and a fellow of the Research University in Berkeley, the Bernstein Institute ( Amber - Institute). In Oregon, he received the appointment to the Oregon State University, Department of Entomology.

Publications (selection)

  • Life in Amber (1992 ), a summary of the obtained in amber insects and other organic inclusions.
  • Amplification and sequencing of DNA from a 120-135 -million - year-old weevil (1993 )
  • The Quest for Life in Amber (1994 )
  • The Amber Forest: A Reconstruction of a Vanished World ( 1999), Co -author: Roberta Poinar
  • Lebanese Amber: The Oldest Insect Ecosystem in Fossilized Resin, (2001)
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