What if we could unravel the code of DNA? On February 26, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. PT in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, Rob Phillips, the Fred and Nancy Morris Professor of Biophysics, Biology, and Physics, will delve into efforts to decode the symbols constituting a genome, which encompasses the complete set of DNA for a living organism.
In a public discourse titled “The Hidden Poetry of the Genome,” Phillips will elaborate on some of the most critical obstacles in comprehending what DNA signifies across various organisms. Although researchers possess a set of symbols—the letters A, C, G, and T that form the “alphabet” of DNA—to articulate distinctive genetic codes, there remains a vast amount that remains unknown about their implications. By likening A, C, G, and T sequences to a genomic Rosetta Stone, Phillips will describe how he and his laboratory are engaged in both experimental and theoretical endeavors to uncover the rules that govern the poetic nature concealed within the genome.
“Whether it’s characters in an alphabet, whether it’s symbols in mathematics; whether it’s the letters A, C, G, and T in the realm of DNA; whether it’s the binary digits on all the electronic devices within a room; these represent peculiar abstract notions of our understanding of the surrounding world,” Phillips states. “Thus, we possess all this DNA sequencing information, but what significance does it hold? What constitutes the grammar? What implications would it have for us to genuinely grasp the language of DNA?”
Follow this link to discover engaging reading material related to The Hidden Poetry of the Genome.
Beginning at 6 p.m., team members from Phillips’ lab will be available to respond to inquiries regarding their ongoing research.
Phillips obtained a PhD in condensed matter physics from Washington University in 1989. Prior to his scientific career, he dedicated seven years to traveling, self-learning, and working as an electrician. Phillips became a part of Caltech as the Clark Millikan Visiting Assistant Professor in 1997, focusing his lab on inquiries such as how genomes are regulated to generate cellular physiology and how cellular molecules assemble to create organized structures. His accolades comprise a National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award, induction into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016, multiple distinguished lectureships, and the Book of the Year award from the Royal Society of Biologists for Physical Biology of the Cell, a publication that emerged from his Caltech course of the same title.
The Watson Lectures provide fresh opportunities monthly for audiences to learn how Caltech scholars are addressing the most urgent societal challenges and innovating future technologies. Join a community of inquisitiveness outside the Beckman Auditorium to savor food, beverages, and music together prior to each lecture. Interactive exhibits associated with the night’s subject will offer attendees additional context and insights. The celebrations commence at 6 p.m. Guests are also invited to remain post-lecture for coffee and tea, along with the opportunity to engage in discussions with fellow attendees and researchers.
Discover more about the Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series and its historical background at Caltech.edu/Watson.
Watson Lectures are complimentary and accessible to the public. Sign up online. A recording will be available following the live presentation.