Jack William Szostak

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Jack William Szostak

1952-

Canadian biochemist who, in collaboration with Andrew Murray, developed the first synthetic chromosome, the Yeast Artificial Chromosome (YAC). In addition to aiding the organization of genetic information that poured into laboratories during the 1980s and 1990s, the YAC helped researchers develop techniques for manipulating genes. These techniques were used with great success during the subsequent surge of genetic research.