The 1993 John Scott Awards Go to Carlo Croce and Richard Smalley

I Current Ccmrnents@ EUGENE GARFIELD INSTITUTE FOR SCIENTIFIC lNFORMATION@ 3S01 MARKET ST PHIIJIDELPHIA, PA 191C4

Number 47 (Dateline mmqmds m cum., Conwn “w.sci..ccs) November 22, 1993

On November 19in Philadelphia, the 1993John Scott Awards were presented to Carlo M. Croee and Richard E. Smalley at a ceremony held at ThomasJefferson University. Croce, director of the Jefferson Cancer Institute and Jefferson Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University, was honored for his pioneeringresearch in understandinghumancancer. Smalley, professorof chemistry and physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas, received the award for his development of supersonic jet laser beam spectroscopy, which contributed to the discovery of a third form of carbon, buckminsterfullerene, or CO The hktory of the award is reviewed. The 1993winners are profiled and their most-cited papers are identified.

The John Scott Award: A Brief History After Scott’s death in 1815, the executor of his will entrusted the administration of The John Scott Award was established the $4,000 trust fund set up for the award over 175 years ago to honor the most de- to James Ronaldson, formerly of Edinburgh serving men and women whose discover- but by then a prominent citizen and suc- ies have contributed to the “comfort, wel- cessful merchant in Philadelphia. Ronald- fare, and happiness of human kind.” It was son turned the trust over to the Philadel- created by John Scott, an Edinburgh drug- phia City Council, which assigned the task gist, who specified in his will that Phila- of recommending award recipients to the delphia administer the prize: Philadelphia Society for Promoting Agri- I, John Scott, late chemist in Edinburgh, culture. 1 The society presented the first do leave to the corporation of Phila- awards in 1822 to 13 individuals, includ- delphla...four thousand dollars... the ining Samuel Goodwin, inventor of a front terest of which is to be laid out in premi- door lock; Thomas Barnitt, inventor of a ums to ingenious men or women who knitting machine; Isaac Conard, designer make useful inventions, but no one of of a barrow for planting Indkm corn; Daniel such premiums shall exceed twenty dol- Niell, developer of a vertical printing press; lars, and along with which shafl be given a copper medal with this inscription— and William Shotwell, who created a To the most deserving.’ simple and effective garden weeder. In 1834, the Franklin Institute became Scott led an unremarkable life. He was responsible for recommending award can- not known for his scientific achievements didates to the City Council, based on in- or philanthropy, nor did he ever visit the ventions submitted to the institute. In 1869, US—leaving many to speculate on the rea- the city established the Board of Directors son for his bequest. The druggist seemed of City Trusts, a group of 12 individuals to admire Benjamin Franklin, Phdadelphia’s charged with administering all charitable extraordinary scientist/en~epreneur,z and trusts left to the city. This board took re- that may have motivated him to select Phila- sponsibility for reviewing the candidates delphia as the home of the awwd.f identified by the Franklin Institute. 1 Dur-

393 ing this period, recipients included men and tal prosthetic replacements for the hip joint; women who developed various inventions, Sir James Whyte Black for developing including sewing machines, typewriters, drugs such as cimetidine and propranolol electric and pneumatic clocks, telescopes, which are used to treat peptic ulcers and railway car brakes, and artificial limbs. cardiac disorders, respectively; and William J. Kolff for contributing to the develop- Shifting Focus: From Practical ment of artificial kidneys and hearts. Invention to Basic Research I have served on the John Scott Advi- sory Committee since 1975, The other cur- The arrangement with the Franklin In- rent members are Louis J. Esposito, presi- stitute continued until 1919, when the dent, Board of Directors of City Trusts; Board of City Trusts appointed an inde- Robin M. Hochstrasser, Dormer Professor pendent group of professionals to nomi- of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, nate award candidates. Members of this ad- Mildred Cohn, Benjamin Rush Professor visory committee were drawn from medi- Emeritus of Biochemistry and Biophysics cine, agriculture, science, engineering, and at Penn; Gregory C. Barrington, dean of patent law. Shortly after meeting for the Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied first time, the committee raised the amount Science; Ann G. Eisman, director, Board of the honorarium from $20, as dictated in of Directors of City Trusts; Louis M. Scott’s will, to a maximum of $2,000, based Heidelberger, esquire, Reed Smith Shaw on the increased value of the trust since and McClay; Peter C. Newell, professor of 1816. In 1970, the advisory committee pathology and laboratory rnedcine at Penn; members again raised the maximum Charles Price, Benjamin Franklin Profes- amount of the honorarium to $10,000, sor Emeritus of Chemistry at Penn; Jona- The committee also shifted the award’s than E. Rhoads, professor of surgeryat Penn; focus from recognizing inventors of “gad- and Herbert L. Rothbart, director of the gets” to researchers making fundamental North Atlantic Area Agricultural Research discoveries in science and medicine. Re- Service, US Department of Agriculture. cipients after 1919 included many prominent men and women of science, such as: Croce Honored for Pioneering Cancer Hideyo Noguchi, cited for research on the Research cause and prevention of yellow fever; Ma- dame Marie Sklodowska Curie, discoverer Carlo M. Croce is an internationally ac- of radium; Orville Wright, honored for de- claimed geneticist whose research has developing flying machines; Thomas A. fined the roles of chromosome transloca- Edison, recognized for various major in- tions in human leukemias and Iymphomas. ventions; Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of Croce has also identified several genes im- wireless telegraphy; and Nikola Tesla, de- plicated in blood malignancies, and has developer of the polyphase system of gener- scribed the moIecular-genetic events that ating and distributing electricity. result in Burkitt’s lymphoma and lympho- Other noteworthy winners include Ed- mas in patients with acquired immuno- win H. Land for the invention of Polaroid; deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Burkitt’s lym- Sir Alexander Fleming for discovering phoma is a type of cancer that results from penicillin; Sir Howard Florey for develop- unconstrained growth of beta-lymphocytes ing penicillin’s use in medicine; Jonas E. and is particularly common in African chil- Salk for creating the Salk poliomyelitis vac- dren, The committee noted that Croce was cine; Paul M. Zoll for inventing the heart the first researcher to use cytogenetics and pacemaker; John Charnley for creating to- gene mapping in identifying oncogenes in-

394 volved in human malignancies and exam- A 1984 Science pap.r is his second most- ining the genetic mechanisms involved in cited work (301 citations).4 It concerned abnormal cell growth, the development of a DNA probe which In addition to the John Scott Award, identified a gene locus, bcf-2, unrelated to Croce received the Research Career Devel- known oncogenes. The bcl-2 gene may be opment Award of the National Institutes of involved in the pathogenesis of B-cell neo- Health (NIH) in 1975. In 1985 and 1993, plasms, and the probe could also be used the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of NIH in diagnosing follicular Iymphoma in hu- presented Croce the Outstanding Investi- mans. gator Award. Croce’s third most-cited paper (293 cita- Currently director of the Jefferson Can- tions) was also published in PIVAS, in cer Institute and Jefferson Cancer Center, 1983.5 It discussed the translocation of a Philadelphia, Croce is also chairman of the c-myc oncogene which is sufficient for its Department of Microbiology and Immunol- transcriptional activation, and which may ogy at the Jefferson Medical College of bean essential step leading to neoplasia in Thomas Jefferson University. Prior to join- Burkitt’s lymphoma. ing Jefferson in 1991, he directed the Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecu- Smalley Recognized for Contributions to Chemical Physics lar Biology at Temple University School of Medicine. Before that, Croce spent over Richard E. Smalley received a bachelor 20 years at the Wistar Institute of Anatomy of science degree in chemistry from the and Biology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in serving as an associate director and profes- 1965. After working as a research chemist sor. He received his medical degree from at the Shell Chemical Company, he left in the University of Rome in 1969. 1969 to pursue a master’s degree and doc- In addition to his research and adminis- torate at Princeton University, graduating trative duties at Jefferson, Croce is a mem- in 1973. He then did postdoctoral work un- ber of the NCI’S Board of Scientific Coun- der Donald H. Levy at the James Franck selors, Division of Cancer Treatment, as Institute of the University of Chicago. It well as the General Motors Cancer Research was there that he pioneered supersonic jet Foundation Awards Assembly. He is edi- laser beam spectroscopy, “one of the most tor-in-chief of Cancer Research and is on powerful techniques in chemical physics.’~ the edkorial boards of Lzukemia, Biotech- In 1978, Smalley joined the chemistry nology, Chromosomes, Genes and Cancer, department at Rice University, Houston, Gene Expression, and the Japanese Jour- Texas, where he continues to teach today. nal of Cancer Research. Smalley and colleagues developed a unique Croce’s most-cited paper was published instrument-a laser vaporization cluster in the 1982 Proceedings of the National beam apparatus-for semiconductor re- Academy of Sciences of the Unized States search on silicon and germanium clusters. of America (FWAS) and has received 652 Harold W. Kroto, University of Sussex, citations through September 1993.3 It con- Brighton, England, realized the instrument cluded that tbe c-myc gene is located on could be very useful for his research on the chromosome 8. The paper noted that ab- interstellar formation of Iong carbon chains normal regulation of this gene may be in- in red giant stars. That is, it could simulate volved in malignant transformations. By the high temperature conditions required identifying its location, researchers are able for carbon chains to form in stars. to study the regulation of c-myc gene ex- In 1985, Kroto worked with Smalley’s pression in tumors. team at Rice to create such conditions. A

395 surprising result of their collaboration was American Chemical Society, APS, Ameri- the serendipitous discovery of a third natu- can Institute of Physics, American Asso- ral form of carbon-the stable Co mol- ciation for the Advancement of Science, ecule. Because it is shaped like a geodesic and Materials Research Society. He cur- soccer ball, the molecule is also called rently serves on the editorial boards of buckminsterfullerene and “buckybalk” in Chemical Physics Letters, Journal of Clus- honor of R. Buckminster Fuller, inventor ter Science, and Molecular Physics. of the geodesic dome. Fuller won the 1979 John Scott Award for this invention. 1992 Winners The discovery of Cm was reported in a Last year two biochemists were honored 1985 Nature paper and has triggered an with the John Scott Award. ]z Kary B. explosion of multidisciplinary research.’ Mtrllis was cited for discovering the poly- This was discussed in a recent Current Con- merase chain reaction (PCR) in 1983 while tents@ (CC@) essay, which included an in- at the Cetus Corporation. A simple method terview of Kroto reprinted from .kierrce for producing millions of copies of spe- Wafch@, the Institute for Scientific Informa- cific DNA sequences, PCR technology has tion@’s(ISI@’s)monthly newsletter that re- revolutionized research in molecular biol- ports on citation-based trends in research.a ogy, biochemistry, and medicine. His pri- Kroto described the discovery of buckmin- mordial paper on PCR published in 1987 sterfullerene in a recent Citation Classic@ has already been explicitly cited in more commentary on the Nature paper.9 than 1,000 papers. 13 For this discovery, The Narure paper is Smalley’s most-cited Mullis shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in work, with 1,082 citations through Septem- chemistry with Michael Smith, University ber 1993.7His second most-cited work (359 of British Columbia, who developed site- citations) concerned a “cookbook-level directed mutagenesis techniques for rede- recipe for the production of Cm in suffi- signing DNA sequences. cient quantities for general chemical ex- Britton Chance, University of Pennsyl- perimentation” and was published in the vania, received the 1992 John Scott Award 1990 Journal of Physical Chemistry.’0 His for his fundamental contributions to quan- third most-cited paper (283 citations) was titative biochemistry. In particular, he pio- on the fluorescence excitation spectmm of neered many clinical applications, includ- HeIz and was published in the Journal of ing magnetic resonance spectroscopy, pho- Chemical Physics in 1976,]) ton migration imaging, and other non- Smalley has received numerous awards invasive tools for medical research. He was for his contributions to the discovery of recognized as one of the most-cited scien- buckminsterful[erene and other advances in tists of the twentieth century in the very chemical physics. These include the 1991 first author citation ranking we published. 14 Irving Langmuir Prize in Chemical Phys- He has coauthored over 1,000 papers, in- ics, the Popular Science Magazine Grand cluding numerous Citation Classics.’ 5 Award in Science and Technology (199 1), Conclusion the American Physical Society (APS) In- ternational Prize for New Materials (1992), The John Scott Award is one of the most the Welch Award in Chemistry (1992), and prestigious Philadelphia science pnzes— the Ernest O. Lawrence Memorial Award over 100 awards are given by Philadelphia- (1992), based local and national organizations. Sev- Smalley is chairman of the Rice Quan- eral of these were highlighted in a previous 16 The John Scott Award is alsO tum Institute and a member of numerous CC essay. professional organizations, including the one of the oldest science prizes in the US.

396 Over 500 people have received the award researchers to be recognized for their high to date, far too many to discuss here. impact work. Science awards and prizes are an impor- The John Scott Award committee, which tant form of public recognition for outstand- recommends candidates for the prize to the ing research. But as I’ve often noted, the Philadelphia Board of Directors of City number of deserving scientists far exceeds Trusts, invites CfY readers to suggest the number of available awards. Our many nominees for future recognition. studies of highly cited authors have identi- ***** of Nobel class. fied hundreds of researchers My thanks ~o Abigail W. Polek for her Citation Classics@ And 1S1’s feature has help in the preparation of this essay. considerably expanded the opportunities for o1s11993 I

REFERENCES

1. Fox R. The John Scott medat. Proc. Amer. Phil. Sot. 112:416-30, 1968. 2. Garfteld E. Benjamin FrankJh-Philadelphia’s scientist e.rtraordinaire. Current Corrferrts@(40]5- 12,4 October 1982. (Reprinted in: Essays of an information scientist. Philadelphia 1S1Press@, 1983. Vol. 5, p. 703-10,) 3. Dalta-Favera R, Bregni M, Croee C M, Erikson J, GaUo R C & Patteswrr D. Human c-myc orrc gene is located on the region of chromosome-8 that is translocated in Burkitt Iymphoma cells. Proc Nat. Acad, Sci. USA 79:7824-7, 1982. 4. Tsujimoto Y, Fhger L R, Yunis J, Newell P C & Cruce C M. Cloning of the chromosome breakpoint of neoplastic B-cellswiththet(14;18)chromosome translacation. Science 226:1097-9, 1984. 5. Es%saonJ, ar-Rrrshdi A, Drwhrga H L, Nowell P C & Croce C M. Transcriptional activation of the translccated c-my oncogene in Burkitt 1ympboma. Proc. Nar. Acad.Sci. USA80:820-4,1983. 6. Yam P. The afl-starof buckybatl..Wi. Amer. 269:46-8, 1993. 7. KrrstoH W, Heath J ~ O’Brien S C, Curl R F & Smalley R E. Cm: buckminsterfullerene. Narure 318:162-3, 1985. 8. Garfield E. The birth of follerenechemistry:HaroldW. Krotodiscussesnewtinesof buckybafl research in a .Scierrce Watch@interview. Current Contents (37):3-7, 13 September 1993. 9. Kruto H W. C@—the thirdman. Citarion C/as$ic@ commentary on Nature 318:162-3, 1985. Current Contents/Engineering, Technology & Applied Science.r 24(36):8-9, 6 September 1993 and Current ConterutiPhysiccr/, Chemical & Earth Sciences 33(36):8-9, 6 September1993. 10.Hauffer R E, Conceieao J, Chibante L P F, Chai Y, Byrne N E, Flanagan S, HaleyM M O’Brien SC, flus C, Xfao Z, Bitfups W E, Ciufolini M A, Hauge R H, Margrave J L, Wilson L J, CrrrlR F & Smaky R E. Efticient production of C@ (buckminsterfullecene), C H3 , and the solvatcd buckide ion. J, Phys Chern. 94:8634-6, 1990. 11. Smfleyk E, Levy D H & Wharton L. The fluorescence excitation spectrum of the He12van der Waals complex. J. Chem, Phys. 64:3266-76, 1976. 12, Spectnr B. City of Philadelphia presents John Scott Awards to honor two “ingenious’researchers’ ‘useful inventions.’ The .Scierttisr7( 1):23, 11lanuacy 1993. 13. MrrtfisK B & Falnuna F. Sp%ific synthesis of DNA in vimo via a polymerase catalysed chain reaction. Methads Enzyrnof. 155:335-50, 1987. 14. Gartleld E. Citation indexing for stadying science. Nature 227:669-71, 1970. (Reprinted in: .EwJys of an informationscientist Philadelphia: 1S1Press, 1977. p. 133-41.) 15. Chance B & WdfiomaG R The respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation.Advan. ErrzymoL Rekst. Areas Mol. Biof. 1165-134, 1956. [See also: Chance B. Citation Classic, (Barrett J T, cd.) Conk?mpomry classics in the life sciences, Volume l:cefl biology. Philadelphia: 1S1Press, 1986.p. 232.] 16------Since 1816 the John Scott Award and other Philadelphia awards have recognized ‘“useful” scientific discoveries-James Black and Benjamin Rub\rr head a list of recent dMinguishcd recipients. Current Conrenrs (38):5- 13,20 September 1982. (Reprinted im Op. cif,, 1983. Vol. 5. p. 686-94.)

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