By analyzing chromosomes from retinoblastoma cancer cells using the technique pioneered by Janet Rowley, geneticists had demonstrated that the Rb gene “lived” on chromosome thirteen. But a chromosome contains thousands of genes. Isolating a single gene from that vast set—particularly one whose functional presence was revealed only when inactive—seemed like an impossible task. Large laboratories professionally equipped to hunt for cancer genes—Webster Cavenee’s lab in Cincinnati, Brenda Gallie’s in Toronto, and Weinberg’s in Boston—were frantically hunting for a strategy to isolate Rb. But
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