Overview
Howard Curtis Berg (1934-2021) was the Herchel Smith Professor of Physics and professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University. Berg's research focused on the chemical structure of cell membranes and the motility and chemotaxis of bacteria, and his work helped establish foundations for modern quantitative biology. Component outlines, scientific data, notes, calculations, and correspondence in this collection document Berg's design and construction of laboratory equipment for his molecular and cellular biology research from 1968 to 2000.
Dates
- Creation: 1968 - 2000
Creator
- Berg, Howard C., 1934- (Person)
Researcher access
Open for research.
Extent
.45 cubic feet (1 document box, 1 flat box)7 photographs
Component outlines, scientific data, notes, calculations, and correspondence in this collection document Howard Berg's design and construction of laboratory equipment for his molecular and cellular biology research from 1968 to 2000. Berg's designs for a magnet mount, photographic shutters, and lighting components are included. Additional topics documented are the setup and operation of a RIS-177 phase modulator with a CCD shuttered camera and a 1W MOPA laser with optical tweezers. The collection includes Berg's essays on monitoring bacteria and 1972 computer printouts documenting Berg's bacterial research at the University of Colorado. Berg's correspondents include scientists Edward Purcell, Costas Papaliolios, Judy Armitage, and Winfield Hill.
Biographical note on Howard C. Berg
Howard Curtis Berg (1934-2021) was the Herchel Smith Professor of Physics and professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University and a member of the Rowland Institute of Science at Harvard. Berg also taught at the University of Colorado (1970-1979) and at the California Institute of Technology (1979-1986). Berg's research focused on the chemical structure of cell membranes and the motility and chemotaxis of bacteria. His work helped establish foundations for modern quantitative biology. In addition, Berg designed and built his laboratory equipment, which included a microscope that tracked the movements of microbes. Berg published on physics and cellular biology issues and wrote and co-wrote approximately 200 articles on the motile behavior of microorganisms.
Arrangement of the collection
Records are arranged in their original order as received by the Harvard University Archives.
Acquisition Information
- Gift of Henry Berg, 2023 September 19; Accession 2024.0019.
Processing Information
Howard C. Berg personal archive was processed in December 2023 by Dominic P. Grandinetti.
Processing included rehousing materials in appropriate containers and creating this finding aid.
Titles and dates supplied by the archivist appear in brackets.
Creator
- Berg, Howard C., 1934- (Person)
- Title
- Berg, Howard C., 1934-. Howard C. Berg personal archive, 1968-2000: an inventory
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- eng
- EAD ID
- hua30023
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository
Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.
Pusey Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2461
archives_reference@harvard.edu