THE CAREER OF A MEDICAL DISCOVERY

Myotonic Dystrophy is tire most common form of adult muscular dystroph y and is characterized by muscle wasting and weakness, In 1991, the di sease gene was cloned and sequenced by scientists in Cardiff, London, and elsewhere overseas, Whereas most studies of scientific breakthroug h stop at the point of the ''discovery,'' this article describes resea rch that explored scientists' accounts of the career of that breakthro ugh, tracing the research within the specialty of molecular biology an d the translation of the research into the service setting, Three main analytic themes are explored: the predictability of the discovery and its mediation by issues of skill and serendipity; the dialectical nat ure of competition and collaboration; and the career dynamics of the r esearch group and the scientists who composed that group.