October 16! Great Day!
7:30 AM – 2 alarm clocks ringing – we should get up to go to the airport. It’s difficult. Then the telephone rings – “Dr. Nirenberg, congratulations! You have been nominated to share the Nobel Prize in medicine with Khorhana and Holley – would you give a brief summary of your work?” – a voice from a swedish reporter transmitting the most exciting news in a scientist’s life.
Of course during the sleepy interview, interposed with ahs!, ohs! and spelling of “how” – I had a faint idea of what was going on but was afraid to believe – and I kept imobile. After the interview was over, Marshall very cautiously and incredulous said, “I think I got the Prize”
Perola and I joined NIH on the same day, and we both worked at the Clinical Center. I was with the Horning group, Chemistry of the Natural Products. We kept in touch until I left to be married in 1960.
Pat Wagner Cygan
Patricia, Thanks for sharing your memory here.