Watson, Khorana withdraw from Congress

Nobel Laureate James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, has withdrawn from attending the International Congress of Genetics due to a serious illness in the family.

Gobind Khorana, who won a Nobel Prize for figuring out the genetic code, has also withdrawn from the Congress.

Prof Phil Batterham, who has spent the past seven years organising the Congress, said that while he was disappointed at the withdrawal of Watson and Khorana, the Congress was bringing together a remarkable group of people to celebrate the 50th anniversary of DNA.

Watson, who was to be interviewed on stage at the opening ceremony of the Congress, will videotape an interview that will be shown in part at the opening ceremony, along with greetings via video from Francis Crick. Taking his place on the stage will be four other scientists of note -- Sydney Brenner, Seymour Benzer, Charles Yanofsky and Robin Holliday -- who will be interviewed by Kerry O'Brien as part of the opening celebration.

"It's going to be a very lively interview with the four scientists," Batterham said.

And Watson will also provide comments by video for the DNA Discovery Dinner, at which a pair of Australian postage stamps with a genetic theme will be unveiled. Crick will also send greetings to be aired at the Dinner, and both Sydney Brenner and Francis Collins will take the podium to talk about the achievements of the last 50 years.