Francis Joseph Ryan

Francis Joseph Ryan (February 1, 1916 – July 14, 1963) was an American zoologist. He was professor and chair of Columbia University's department of zoology.

Biography Ryan was born on February 1, 1916, in Brooklyn, New York. He received his B.A. from Columbia University in 1937 and his Ph.D. in 1941.

Ryan's research focused on a variety of fields, including experimental embryology, microbial genetics, and he did research on escherichia coli to understand how information about an organism is imprinted in its genetic structure. He was also a Fulbright Professor at the University of Tokyo in 1955–1956, during which he also served as a consultant to Japanese microbiologists in industry and universities. He was also a trustee of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Ryan died of a heart attack on July 14, 1963, at 47 years old.