Sex and the Single Fly: A Perspective on the Career of Bruce S. Baker

Genetics. 2019 Jun;212(2):365-376. doi: 10.1534/genetics.119.301928.

Abstract

Bruce Baker, a preeminent Drosophila geneticist who made fundamental contributions to our understanding of the molecular genetic basis of sex differences, passed away July 1, 2018 at the age of 72. Members of Bruce's laboratory remember him as an intensely dedicated, rigorous, creative, deep-thinking, and fearless scientist. His trainees also remember his strong commitment to teaching students at every level. Bruce's career studying sex differences had three major epochs, where the laboratory was focused on: (1) sex determination and dosage compensation, (2) the development of sex-specific structures, and (3) the molecular genetic basis for sex differences in behavior. Several members of the Baker laboratory have come together to honor Bruce by highlighting some of the laboratory's major scientific contributions in these areas.

Keywords: Drosophila; behavior; development; doublesex; fruitless; genital disc; mRNA splicing; sex; sex determination; transformer.

Publication types

  • Biography
  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dosage Compensation, Genetic
  • Drosophila / genetics*
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Genetics / history*
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, 21st Century
  • Mentors
  • Sex Determination Processes / genetics*
  • Sexual Behavior

Personal name as subject

  • Bruce S Baker