SAVING SAVING OXFORD OXFORD MEDICINE:MEDICINE:

An Overview and a An Overview and a Case Study of a Case Study of a Geneticist’s ArchiveGeneticist’s Archive

Duke Humfrey’s Library

Bodleian Library

Oxford

Ashmole manuscripts

Depiction of a urinoscopy and a dissection

13th century

MS. Ashmole 399, fol. 34r

Henry Wentworth Henry Wentworth AclandAcland

Regius Professor of Regius Professor of Medicine, 1857-94Medicine, 1857-94

Helped to found Helped to found the Honour School the Honour School of Natural Science, of Natural Science, 18501850

Championed the Championed the building of the building of the University MuseumUniversity Museum

The old Indian InstituteOxford Home of the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre, 1973-1975

Aims and objectivesAims and objectives

Discover Discover

PreservePreserve

PromotePromote

Survey workSurvey work

Survey of archives of Regius Survey of archives of Regius Professors of Medicine at Oxford, Professors of Medicine at Oxford, 1900-20001900-2000

Survey of all clinical and non-Survey of all clinical and non-clinical departments in the Medical clinical departments in the Medical Sciences DivisionSciences Division

Records of the Regius Records of the Regius Professors of MedicineProfessors of Medicine

J.S. Burdon J.S. Burdon SandersonSanderson

Regius Professor Regius Professor of Medicineof Medicine

1895-19041895-1904

Acquisitions, 2011-Acquisitions, 2011-20142014

Hugh CairnsHugh Cairns Hugh SinclairHugh Sinclair Dorothy HodgkinDorothy Hodgkin Rod PorterRod Porter James GowansJames Gowans Bronwen LoderBronwen Loder David WeatherallDavid Weatherall Louise JohnsonLouise Johnson

Hugh Cairns Hugh Cairns (1896-1952) (1896-1952) neurosurgeonneurosurgeon

Hugh Sinclair Hugh Sinclair (1910-1990) (1910-1990) nutritionistnutritionist

Group Group containing containing three three Regius Regius Professors, Professors, outside the outside the Physiology Physiology Lab, Oxford, Lab, Oxford, c.1894c.1894

Dorothy Hodgkin Dorothy Hodgkin (1910-(1910-1994) chemist & x-ray 1994) chemist & x-ray crystallographercrystallographer

Rodney Robert Porter Rodney Robert Porter (1917-1985) immunologist(1917-1985) immunologist

Hand-coloured Hand-coloured lantern slide lantern slide showing showing equipment equipment demonstrating demonstrating column column chromatography, chromatography, 19571957

James L. Gowans James L. Gowans (b.1924) (b.1924) immunologistimmunologist

A human A human lymphocyte, lymphocyte, viewed under an viewed under an electron electron microscope. microscope.

Gowans discovered Gowans discovered the life-cycle of the the life-cycle of the lymphocyte in lymphocyte in 1959.1959.

Bronwen Loder Bronwen Loder (b.1932) (b.1932) biochemist and scientific biochemist and scientific administratoradministrator

David Weatherall David Weatherall (b.1933) haematologist & (b.1933) haematologist & molecular geneticistmolecular geneticist

Louise Johnson Louise Johnson (1940-(1940-2012) biochemist and protein 2012) biochemist and protein crystallographercrystallographer

Archives catalogued, Archives catalogued, 2011-20142011-2014

Ida MannIda Mann Edith BülbringEdith Bülbring Oxford Diabetes TrustOxford Diabetes Trust Oxford Medical SocietyOxford Medical Society Hugh SinclairHugh Sinclair Rod PorterRod Porter

Ida Mann Ida Mann (1893-1983) (1893-1983) ophthalmologistophthalmologist

Edith BEdith Büülbring lbring (1903-1990) (1903-1990) pharmacologist & physiologistpharmacologist & physiologist

Mabel Purefoy Mabel Purefoy Fitzgerald Fitzgerald (1872-1973) (1872-1973) physiologist & pathologistphysiologist & pathologist

Cataloguing projectsCataloguing projects

Projects funded by the Wellcome Projects funded by the Wellcome Trust:Trust:

Bodmer archive, 2,200 boxesBodmer archive, 2,200 boxes

Oxfam Archive, 10,000 boxesOxfam Archive, 10,000 boxes

Oxfam Archive Oxfam Archive (1942-(1942-2010)2010)

Promoting the Promoting the collectionscollections

Project pageProject page

BlogBlog

TwitterTwitter

ExhibitionsExhibitions

Saving Oxford Medicine Project page

Saving Oxford Medicine Blog

Bodleian LibraryTwitter account - @bodleianlibs

Current Bodleian Exhibition – ends 18 May 2014

Preserving Modern Preserving Modern Science CollectionsScience Collections

The papers of geneticists Sir The papers of geneticists Sir Walter Bodmer and Lady Julia Walter Bodmer and Lady Julia BodmerBodmer

Genetics archive Genetics archive projects – the landscapeprojects – the landscape

The Bodmers – The Bodmers – biography and the biography and the collectioncollection

Archivists and modern Archivists and modern science collections: science collections: challenges and challenges and solutions solutions

Preservation Preservation Interpretation Interpretation Access – Data Protection Access – Data Protection

ActAct

1. Cataloguing Projects1. Cataloguing Projects

(Bodleian Library, Oxford) Cataloguing the Papers of Sir (Bodleian Library, Oxford) Cataloguing the Papers of Sir Walter and Lady Julia Bodmer (Saving Oxford Medicine)Walter and Lady Julia Bodmer (Saving Oxford Medicine)

(Edinburgh University Library) ‘Towards Dolly: (Edinburgh University Library) ‘Towards Dolly: Edinburgh, Roslin and the Birth of Modern Genetics’Edinburgh, Roslin and the Birth of Modern Genetics’

(John Innes Research Centre, Norwich) ‘Cataloguing the (John Innes Research Centre, Norwich) ‘Cataloguing the archives of William Bateson and Cyril D. Darlington’archives of William Bateson and Cyril D. Darlington’

(Kings College, London) ‘DNA and Social Responsibility: (Kings College, London) ‘DNA and Social Responsibility: Cataloguing and preserving the papers of Nobel Prize Cataloguing and preserving the papers of Nobel Prize winner, Professor Maurice Wilkins’winner, Professor Maurice Wilkins’

2. ‘Codebreakers: makers of 2. ‘Codebreakers: makers of modern genetics’modern genetics’

3. Human Genome Archive 3. Human Genome Archive ProjectProject

Scoping initiative launched 2012 by Scoping initiative launched 2012 by Wellcome LibraryWellcome Library

Survey of archives created during Survey of archives created during Human Genome Project (1977-2004)Human Genome Project (1977-2004)

Emphasis on harvesting born-digital Emphasis on harvesting born-digital material – saving contemporary material – saving contemporary sciencescience

SummarySummary

Substantial body of genetics resources Substantial body of genetics resources now availablenow available

Network of archivists working on science Network of archivists working on science collectionscollections

Bodmer project at Bodleian contributes significantly towards wider documentation of this crucial field of scientific endeavour

Walter Bodmer (b. 1936)Walter Bodmer (b. 1936) Manchester Grammar SchoolManchester Grammar School

Cambridge University (1956-60) – Cambridge University (1956-60) – Undergrad/Ph.D (Undergrad/Ph.D (maths, statistics, population maths, statistics, population genetics)genetics)

Stanford University (1961-69)Stanford University (1961-69)

Oxford University (1970-79) – First Oxford University (1970-79) – First Professor of GeneticsProfessor of Genetics

Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Director Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Director of Research, Director-General (1980-96)of Research, Director-General (1980-96)

Principal of Hertford Collection, Oxford Principal of Hertford Collection, Oxford University (1996-2005)University (1996-2005)

Head of Cancer and Immunogenetics Head of Cancer and Immunogenetics Lab, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Lab, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford (1996- present day) Medicine, Oxford (1996- present day)

Julia Bodmer (1934-2001)Julia Bodmer (1934-2001) State scholarship from State scholarship from

Manchester High School to read Manchester High School to read (PPE) at Oxford University(PPE) at Oxford University

Statistical Assistant, Statistical Assistant, Cambridge University (1956-Cambridge University (1956-60)60)

Research Assistant, Stanford Research Assistant, Stanford University (1961-69)University (1961-69)

Research Officer, Genetics Research Officer, Genetics Laboratory, Oxford University Laboratory, Oxford University (1970-79)(1970-79)

Head of Tissue Antigen Head of Tissue Antigen Laboratory, ICRF, London Laboratory, ICRF, London (1980-96)(1980-96)

Joint Head of Cancer and Joint Head of Cancer and Immunogenetics Lab, Immunogenetics Lab, Weatherall Institute of Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford Molecular Medicine, Oxford (1996-2001)(1996-2001)

““To my wife, please To my wife, please do not shred all my do not shred all my

papers!”papers!”

The Archive – 2216 boxes (18 The Archive – 2216 boxes (18 month project)month project)

Societies & Organisations (603 Societies & Organisations (603 boxes)boxes)

Preservation of Preservation of science/biomedical archivesscience/biomedical archives

Experiment work on the genetic Experiment work on the genetic analysis of human-mouse somatic analysis of human-mouse somatic cellscells

Gel electrophoresisGel electrophoresis

Gel Gel electrophoresis electrophoresis

Interpretation – how to Interpretation – how to describe?describe?

Interpretation - solutionsInterpretation - solutions

Work in partnership with Work in partnership with donor/record creator if possible – donor/record creator if possible – build a relationshipbuild a relationship

Connections with other archivistsConnections with other archivists

Consult externally – scientists, Consult externally – scientists, medical profession, historians, etc. medical profession, historians, etc.

Access and Legislation – Access and Legislation – challengeschallenges

Data Protection Act – sensitive personal Data Protection Act – sensitive personal datadata

Finding balance between providing access Finding balance between providing access with protecting individual’s privacywith protecting individual’s privacy

Over 1/3 of collection has some level of Over 1/3 of collection has some level of sensitivity sensitivity

Sensitive or confidential Sensitive or confidential material in Bodmer archivematerial in Bodmer archive

Named blood donor dataNamed blood donor data Named donor data of families and family treesNamed donor data of families and family trees Photographs of individual’s which reveal medical conditionsPhotographs of individual’s which reveal medical conditions Hospital patient lists/records (structured case notes or Hospital patient lists/records (structured case notes or

informal)informal) Grant applications containing confidential Grant applications containing confidential

references/statements of opinionreferences/statements of opinion ICRF personnel files incl. staff appraisals, staff ICRF personnel files incl. staff appraisals, staff

appointments, pension details, etc.appointments, pension details, etc. References and recommendationsReferences and recommendations Corporate confidentiality – high level meetingsCorporate confidentiality – high level meetings Opinions on staff, other scientists and their researchOpinions on staff, other scientists and their research Nominations for Royal Society, Nobel Prize, etc.Nominations for Royal Society, Nobel Prize, etc. Architectural plans of research units identifying location of Architectural plans of research units identifying location of

animal-housesanimal-houses

Access and Legislation: Access and Legislation: solutionssolutions

Forward plan: identify common types Forward plan: identify common types of sensitivities early– make consistent of sensitivities early– make consistent decisions on ‘closed’ datadecisions on ‘closed’ data

Targeted correspondence, partially Targeted correspondence, partially restricted boxes that were originally restricted boxes that were originally marked for full closure – 70 % marked for full closure – 70 % correspondence opened upcorrespondence opened up

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