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The synthesis of biochemical science — Soviet studies
XV
T I B S - February 1 9 8 0
The synthesis of biochemical science- Soviet studies Harmke Kamminga Like biochemistry itself, the history of biochemistry is an international activity and one of the largest groups working in this field is at the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences' Institute of History of Science and Technology in Moscow. Studies in the history of biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics have been carded out at this Institute since the 1960s. The nature and aims of these studies were described by Dr Alexei N. Shamin, head of the Institute's biochemical history group, in a poster presented at the IUB Congress in Toronto (July 1979). The Moscow group has been studying the conceptual history of a number of biochemical problems, the contributions of individual scientists and the role of scientific schools and institutions. As stated by Dr Shamin, 'We think that studying changes in the problems and concepts in the development of biochemistry, in combination with a study of its social and institutional history, will allow us to understand the structure of the area of research which is traditionally called biochemistry. This work should lead to a description of the evolving structure of the subject.' In addition, Dr Shamin hopes that the work of the biochemical history group will provide insight into the transition from classical biological chemistry to the current complex of sciences which he groups under the heading of 'physicochemical biology'. The former is characterized by its reductionist methodology of studying the organization of living matter at a molecular level, whereas 'physicochemical biology' uses a synthesis of the ideas and methods of biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics to study supramolecular structures. The processes by which separate fields such as molecular biology, cytology and immunochemistry have become integrated into 'physicochemical biology' are also being studied by the group. Finally, Dr Shamin envisages that an analysis of the interaction between the different branches of scientific knowledge that gave rise to biochemistry, may serve as a model for the interaction and evolution of scientific knowledge in general. Harmke Kamminga is at"the Department of ltistory and Philosophy of Science, Chelsea College, Unirersity of London, London, U.K.
The wide-ranging investigations at the Institute have resulted in a series of important publications in history of biochemistry. First, the selected works of the founders of Soviet biochemistry are being published; among the eminent scientists whose works have been issued in the series so far are A. N. Bakh, A. Y. Danilevsky, E. S. London, S. P. Kostychev and V. I. Palladin. These volumes should be of particular interest to historians of biochemistry who do not have ready access to the original sources. Non-Soviet classics of biochemistry are not ignored, of course - recently the Selected Works of Emil Fischer were published, soon to be followed by the works of Friedrich Miescher. Detailed scientific biographies of Soviet and non-Soviet biochemists, based on scientific and archival materials, are in preparation. The first book in this series, on the life and work of M. S. Tsvet, appeared in 1973. Members of the biochemical history group have published a number of monographs on the history of specific topics within biochemical science. Examples of the areas treated are problems in the history of molecular biology, biological oxidation and the anaerobic breakdown of carbohydrates. The assessment of contributions made to these areas by Soviet scientists whose works are not available worldwide again lends these works a special
interest for historians outside the Soviet Union. Studies of the development of Soviet biochemistry combining a conceptual and sociological approach are carried out by the Moscow biochemical history group in collaboration with the Biochemistry Faculty of the T. G. Shevtchenko State Pedagogical Institute at Dushanbe, led by U. Z. Zubaidov. The latter and his colleagues are compiling a complete bibliography of Soviet works on biochemistry. The first publication arising out of this work concerns studies on the chemistry and biochemistry of proteins. The programme of the Soviet historians is clearly an ambitious one and it would be unfortunate if their work remained relatively unknown outside the U.S.S.R. Translations of a few of the publications of the biochemical history group into Italian 9and French are being prepared. It would be in the interest of biochemists and historians everywhere if translations were to become available on a larger scale.
Soviet studies in history of biochemistryselected publications* Baglay, E. B. (Muzrukova) (1979) Development of Concepts of Ontogeny, Nauka,Moscow Gutina,V. N. (1974) Biochemistry of Anaerobic Breakdown of Carbohydrates, Historical essays, Nauka, Moscow Krivobokova,S. S. (1971) Biological Oxidation, Historicalessays,Nauka, Moscow Kuznetsov, B. G. (ed.) (1977) La Science au 20e sib.cle. Encycloprdie. Vol. 4. La Vie. Premiere partie. La biologic mol~culaire (par Alexei Shamin), Deuxi~mepartie. La cellule vivante(par Nina Guelman). Quatri~me partie. La Vie sur la Terre (par Alexandre Oparin et Boris Mednikov). 'ALAP-Novosti',Paris-Moscou Senehenkova, E. M. (1973) Mikhail Semenovich Tsvet, 1872-1919, Nauka,Moscow Shamin, A. N. (1966) Development of Protein Chemistry, Nauka, Moscow Shamin, A. N. (1969) Chemical Synthesis of Protein, Historicalessays,Nauka,Moscow Shamin, A. N. (1977) ttistory of Protein Chemistry, Nauka, Moscow Soifer, V. N. (1970) Studies in the History of Molecular Genetics, Nauka, Moscow Zubaidov, U. Z. (1978) Chemistry and Biochemistry of Proteins, Bibliographyof the literaturepublished in Russianand the U.S.S.R.in 1777-1952, Donish, Dushanbe Zubaidov, U. B. and Shamin,A. N. (1975) Development of the Chemistry of Biopolymers, Irfon, Dushanbe
From: Mikhail Semenovich Tsret, 1872-1919 by E. M. Senchenkova.
~ All in Russian,except Kuznetsov(1977). 9 EIsevier/Nor~h-lqoil~ndBiome(Sczl Press 1980
T I B S - February 1 9 8 0
The synthesis of biochemical science- Soviet studies Harmke Kamminga Like biochemistry itself, the history of biochemistry is an international activity and one of the largest groups working in this field is at the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences' Institute of History of Science and Technology in Moscow. Studies in the history of biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics have been carded out at this Institute since the 1960s. The nature and aims of these studies were described by Dr Alexei N. Shamin, head of the Institute's biochemical history group, in a poster presented at the IUB Congress in Toronto (July 1979). The Moscow group has been studying the conceptual history of a number of biochemical problems, the contributions of individual scientists and the role of scientific schools and institutions. As stated by Dr Shamin, 'We think that studying changes in the problems and concepts in the development of biochemistry, in combination with a study of its social and institutional history, will allow us to understand the structure of the area of research which is traditionally called biochemistry. This work should lead to a description of the evolving structure of the subject.' In addition, Dr Shamin hopes that the work of the biochemical history group will provide insight into the transition from classical biological chemistry to the current complex of sciences which he groups under the heading of 'physicochemical biology'. The former is characterized by its reductionist methodology of studying the organization of living matter at a molecular level, whereas 'physicochemical biology' uses a synthesis of the ideas and methods of biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics to study supramolecular structures. The processes by which separate fields such as molecular biology, cytology and immunochemistry have become integrated into 'physicochemical biology' are also being studied by the group. Finally, Dr Shamin envisages that an analysis of the interaction between the different branches of scientific knowledge that gave rise to biochemistry, may serve as a model for the interaction and evolution of scientific knowledge in general. Harmke Kamminga is at"the Department of ltistory and Philosophy of Science, Chelsea College, Unirersity of London, London, U.K.
The wide-ranging investigations at the Institute have resulted in a series of important publications in history of biochemistry. First, the selected works of the founders of Soviet biochemistry are being published; among the eminent scientists whose works have been issued in the series so far are A. N. Bakh, A. Y. Danilevsky, E. S. London, S. P. Kostychev and V. I. Palladin. These volumes should be of particular interest to historians of biochemistry who do not have ready access to the original sources. Non-Soviet classics of biochemistry are not ignored, of course - recently the Selected Works of Emil Fischer were published, soon to be followed by the works of Friedrich Miescher. Detailed scientific biographies of Soviet and non-Soviet biochemists, based on scientific and archival materials, are in preparation. The first book in this series, on the life and work of M. S. Tsvet, appeared in 1973. Members of the biochemical history group have published a number of monographs on the history of specific topics within biochemical science. Examples of the areas treated are problems in the history of molecular biology, biological oxidation and the anaerobic breakdown of carbohydrates. The assessment of contributions made to these areas by Soviet scientists whose works are not available worldwide again lends these works a special
interest for historians outside the Soviet Union. Studies of the development of Soviet biochemistry combining a conceptual and sociological approach are carried out by the Moscow biochemical history group in collaboration with the Biochemistry Faculty of the T. G. Shevtchenko State Pedagogical Institute at Dushanbe, led by U. Z. Zubaidov. The latter and his colleagues are compiling a complete bibliography of Soviet works on biochemistry. The first publication arising out of this work concerns studies on the chemistry and biochemistry of proteins. The programme of the Soviet historians is clearly an ambitious one and it would be unfortunate if their work remained relatively unknown outside the U.S.S.R. Translations of a few of the publications of the biochemical history group into Italian 9and French are being prepared. It would be in the interest of biochemists and historians everywhere if translations were to become available on a larger scale.
Soviet studies in history of biochemistryselected publications* Baglay, E. B. (Muzrukova) (1979) Development of Concepts of Ontogeny, Nauka,Moscow Gutina,V. N. (1974) Biochemistry of Anaerobic Breakdown of Carbohydrates, Historical essays, Nauka, Moscow Krivobokova,S. S. (1971) Biological Oxidation, Historicalessays,Nauka, Moscow Kuznetsov, B. G. (ed.) (1977) La Science au 20e sib.cle. Encycloprdie. Vol. 4. La Vie. Premiere partie. La biologic mol~culaire (par Alexei Shamin), Deuxi~mepartie. La cellule vivante(par Nina Guelman). Quatri~me partie. La Vie sur la Terre (par Alexandre Oparin et Boris Mednikov). 'ALAP-Novosti',Paris-Moscou Senehenkova, E. M. (1973) Mikhail Semenovich Tsvet, 1872-1919, Nauka,Moscow Shamin, A. N. (1966) Development of Protein Chemistry, Nauka, Moscow Shamin, A. N. (1969) Chemical Synthesis of Protein, Historicalessays,Nauka,Moscow Shamin, A. N. (1977) ttistory of Protein Chemistry, Nauka, Moscow Soifer, V. N. (1970) Studies in the History of Molecular Genetics, Nauka, Moscow Zubaidov, U. Z. (1978) Chemistry and Biochemistry of Proteins, Bibliographyof the literaturepublished in Russianand the U.S.S.R.in 1777-1952, Donish, Dushanbe Zubaidov, U. B. and Shamin,A. N. (1975) Development of the Chemistry of Biopolymers, Irfon, Dushanbe
From: Mikhail Semenovich Tsret, 1872-1919 by E. M. Senchenkova.
~ All in Russian,except Kuznetsov(1977). 9 EIsevier/Nor~h-lqoil~ndBiome(Sczl Press 1980