Scientific luminaries threw James Watson a birthday party weeks before Eric Lander’s widely criticized toast

Five weeks before Eric Lander of the Broad Institute got pilloried on social media for making a brief toast to James Watson — the icon of biology who has sullied his legacy with racist, anti-Semitic, and sexist statements — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory held a full day meeting explicitly honoring Watson, without triggering so much as a Twitter peep.

Instead, leading scientists who spoke or attended filled social media with their gratitude to the organizer for holding the April 7 celebration of Watson’s 90th birthday.

Harvard geneticist Gary Ruvkun  that it was “an honor to be part of the celebration of Jim,” while Maria Zuber, vice president of research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and chair of the National Science Board,  her thanks to biotech entrepreneur Jonathan Rothberg “for organizing a symposium of vast scope and inspiration to honor James Watson on his 90th birthday! Honored to participate!” Zuber did not respond to STAT’s requests