Finding Aid to the Harold E. Varmus Papers, 1975-1987, bulk 1983-1987
Finding Aid written by Nancy W. Zinn, Valerie Wheat and Josué Hurtado
UCSF Library and Center for Knowledge Management, Archives and Special Collections
University of California, San Francisco
530 Parnassus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94143-0840
Phone: (415) 476-8112
Fax: (415) 476-4653
Email: http://www.library.ucsf.edu/collres/archives/contactform.html
URL: http://www.library.ucsf.edu/collres/archives/
© 2006
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Finding Aid to the Harold E. Varmus Papers, 1975-1987, bulk 1983-1987
Collection Number: MSS 88-47
UCSF Library and Center for Knowledge Management, Archives and Special Collections
- Finding Aid Written By:
- Nancy W. Zinn, Valerie Wheat and Josué Hurtado
- Date Completed:
-
January 2007
© 2007 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Collection Summary
Collection Title: Harold E. Varmus Papers
Date (inclusive): 1975-1987,
Date (bulk): bulk 1983-1987
Collection Number: MSS 88-47
Creator:
Varmus, Harold
Extent:
Number of containers: 2 cartons, 1 box
Linear feet: 3
Repository: The UCSF Library and Center for Knowledge Management, Archives and Special Collections
University of California, San Francisco
530 Parnassus Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94143-0840
Phone: (415) 476-8112
Fax: (415) 476-4653
Email: http://www.library.ucsf.edu/collres/archives/contactform.html
URL: http://www.library.ucsf.edu/collres/archives/
Abstract: This collection of papers was gathered by Dr. Varmus in preparation for taking a sabbatical leave from UCSF in 1988. In addition
to his appointment calendars, the collection includes correspondence with scientific colleagues, journal reviews, requests
for evaluations, and UCSF academic matters. Dr. Varmus chaired a Human Retrovirus Study Group and included here are his committee
files (1981-1986).
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog:
http://www.library.ucsf.edu/ .
Information for Researchers
Access
Collection is open for research; some correspondence files are restricted.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the UCSF Library and Center for Knowledge Management. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manager of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for
publication is given on behalf of the UCSF Library and Center for Knowledge Management as the owner of the physical items
and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Copyright restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Harold E. Varmus Papers, MSS 88-47, The UCSF Library and Center for Knowledge Management, Archives
and Special Collections, University of California, San Francisco.
Alternate Forms Available
Related Collections
MSS 84-25 and MSS 93-51
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Varmus, Harold
AIDS (Disease)
Nobel prizes
Oncogenes
Virologists--California--San Francisco
Virology--Research--California--San Francisco
Oncogenic viruses
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
The Harold E. Varmus Papers were donated to UCSF by Dr. Varmus in 1988.
Processing Information
Processed by Nancy W. Zinn and Valerie Wheat. Completed in February 2006
Biographical Information
Born in Oceanside, New York, December 18, 1939, Harold E. Varmus received his undergraduate degree (B.A. magna cum laude)
from Amherst College in 1961, an M.A. (in literature) the following year from Harvard University, and the M.D. from Columbia
University in 1966. From 1967 to 1970 Varmus was an intern in medicine (1966-67) and Assistant Resident in Medicine (1967-68)
at Presbyterian Hospital, New York, and Clinical Associate at the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases,
Bethesda, MD (1968-70). In 1970 he was appointed a postdoctoral fellow and lecturer in the Department of Microbiology at
UCSF, for 1970-72. At the end of this period Dr. Varmus was appointed Assistant Professor in Residence, for 1972-74, Associate
Professor (1974-79), and full Professor, 1979-1993, in that department. He was on the faculty of the Molecular Medicine group
in the Program in Biological Sciences (PIBS) consortium.
In conjunction with J. Michael Bishop, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1989 for their discovery
of the cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes. They also received the Alfred P. Sloan Prize from the General Motors Cancer
Research Foundation in 1984. Other research colleagues on the faculty at UCSF included Y.W. Kan (hemoglobinopathies), Gordon
Tomkins and Keith Yamamoto (glucocorticoid action), and Donald Ganem (hepatitis B viruses). In 1985 Dr. Varmus was selected
to give the Annual Faculty Research Lecture at UCSF entitled "Tree-Shaking and Jelly-Making: Growing Up with Retroviruses."
In 1993, he was appointed Director of the National Institutes of Health where he instituted administrative and personnel reforms,
changed the peer review system, created the online publications archive E-biomed, and dealt with political issues such as
human embryo research. He resigned in 1999 to become Director of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and
was named President of that institution in 2000. In 2002, Varmus was named a recipient of the 2001 National Medal of Science
and recognized at a ceremony at the White House with President George W. Bush.
Varmus is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American
Society for Microbiology. He was elected to the National Academy of Science in 1984 and to the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences in 1988. Among his honors are the following: Woodrow Wilson Fellow (1961-62); International Fellow of Columbia University
(1963-64); Smith, Kline, and French Foreign Fellow (Bareilly, India) in 1961; Senior Dernham Fellow, California Division,
American Cancer Society (1970-72); USPHS Research Career Development Awardee, 1972-77; Josiah Macy Scholar (Imperial Cancer
Research Fund, London, 1978-79); California scientist of the Year, 1982; Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, 1982;
Passano Foundation Award, 1983; Armand Hammer Cancer Prize, 1984; Gairdner Foundation International Award, 1984; and the American
College of Physicians Award, 1987. He received an honorary degree from Amherst College in 1985 and the Alumni Gold Medal
from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1989.
Dr. Varmus served as associate editor of
Cell and Virology (1974-84), and as a member of various working groups and study sections at the National Cancer Institute and National Institutes
of Health. From 1981-1986, Varmus chaired the Retrovirus Study Group within the Vertebrate Virus Subcommitee of the International
Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. In this role he convened a subcommittee to investigate proposed nomenclature of AIDS-associated
viruses in humans. He has co-authored more than 300 scientific papers and four books, including
Genes and the Biology of Cancer for a general audience.
System of Arrangement
Arranged to the folder level.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection of papers was gathered by Dr. Varmus in preparation for taking a sabbatical leave from UCSF in 1988. In addition
to his appointment calendars, the collection includes correspondence with scientific colleagues, journal reviews, requests
for evaluations, and research and travel arrangements. Varmus served as chairman of the Retrovirus Study Group within the
Vertebrate Virus Subcommittee of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Records from the subcommittee to investigate
proposed nomenclature of AIDS-associated viruses include correspondence, memos and questionnaires sent to the committee members,
and HIV clinical opinions from leaders in the field. Some folders in this collection are restricted.
The Collection is divided into 3 Series: I. Appointment Calendars; II. Correspondence; and III. Human Retrovirus Study Group.
Series 1
APPOINTMENT CALENDARS
1975-1984
Physical Description:
6 Folders : Carton 1 1/1-1/6
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of 6 appointment calendars showing Varmus' schedule between 1975 and 1984.
Carton 1, Folder 1-16
Appointment calendars
1975-1984
Series 2
CORRESPONDENCE
1982-1987
Physical Description:
32 Folders : Carton 1 Folders 1/7-1/22 ; Carton 2 Folders 2/1-2/12 ; Box 3 Folders 3/1-3/4
Scope and Content Note
This series contains correspondence arranged chronologically. Of note in this series is correspondence with colleagues at
UCSF, as well as colleagues at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The National Cancer Institute,
and National Institutes of Health.
Two folders in this series are restricted due to privacy concerns.
Box 3, Folder 1
Correspondence (RESTRICTED)
1983-1986
Box 3, Folder 2-4
Journal referee correspondence (RESTRICTED)
1984-1987
Series 3
HUMAN RETROVIRUS STUDY GROUP
1981-1986
Physical Description:
7 Folders : Carton 2 Folders 2/13-2/17 ; Box 3 Folders 3/5 -3/6
Scope and Content Note
This series contains materials produced by Varmus and others as part of the Human Retrovirus Study Group. Varmus chaired
the subcommittee that was charged with determining the nomenclature for the AIDS virus. There is one folder of subcommittee
correspondence that is restricted.
Carton 2, Folder 13
Human retrovirus study group correspondence
1981-1984
Carton 2, Folder 14
HIV clinical opinions on the naming of the virus
1985
Carton 2, Folder 15-16
Human retrovirus subcommittee correspondence
1985-1986
Carton 2, Folder 17
Princess Takamatsu symposium [Oncogene seminar], Osaka
1986
Box 3, Folder 5-6
Human retrovirus subcommittee correspondence (RESTRICTED)
1985-1986
