Joshua Lederberg (1925-2008) was an American geneticist and microbiologist who received the Nobel prize in 1958 for his work in bacterial genetics. The National Library of Medicine is the repository for the Joshua Lederberg Papers, which range from 1904 to 2003, the majority dating from 1945 to the present day. The collection contains laboratory notebooks, research reports, published articles and books, correspondence, unpublished manuscripts, speeches, news clippings, photographic prints, and audiovisual materials.

As part of its Profiles in Science project, the National Library of Medicine has made available online a digitized selection of the Joshua Lederberg Papers. This website provides access to the portions of the Joshua Lederberg Papers that are now publicly available. Individuals interested in conducting research using the full collection of Joshua Lederberg Papers should contact the National Library of Medicine.

This Profile is designed to introduce you to the various phases of Lederberg's scientific career and professional life. Narrative sections available from the navigation bar under "The Story" focus on Lederberg's life and major scientific contributions.

Researchers can search the digitized items using the Search box or browse all Documents and Visuals in the collection by selecting "Collection Items" from the navigation bar.