Tracy Sonneborn

Tracy Morton Sonneborn (born 19 October 1905 Baltimore, Maryland, † 26 January 1981 in Bloomington, Indiana) was an American protozoologist and geneticists.

Life

Sonneborn acquired in 1925 at Johns Hopkins University, a BA in English and 1928 in the philosopher and geneticist Herbert Spencer Jennings ( 1868-1947 ), a Ph.D. in zoology. He then worked as a research assistant at Johns Hopkins University. In 1929 he married Ruth Meyers; the couple had two sons. 1939 moved Sonneborn as an Associate Professor of Zoology at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he spent the rest of his scientific career. In 1943, he received a full professorship in 1953 the title of Distinguished Professor.

1976 Sonneborn was given emeritus status, but remained until shortly before his death scientifically active.

Work

Sonneborn examined paramecia ( Paramecium ) and described several forms of mating (conjugation). Building on the work of Joshua Lederberg and Edward L. Tatum, he dealt with Mendelian and non- Mendelian forms of inheritance. Here he discovered the cytoplasmic factors and epigenetic inheritance, the trichozystische non- division and the doublet phenotype of Paramecium.

Sonneborn has published more than 230 works, including many systematic reviews ( reviews).

Awards (selection)

Sonneborn held honorary doctorates from the following universities: Johns Hopkins University ( 1957), Northwestern University (1975 ), University of Geneva (1975 ), Indiana University ( 1978), University of Münster (1979). The Indiana University has been awarding the 1986 Tracy M. Sonneborn Award for outstanding teaching and research.