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The papers are very extensive though there are some lacunae, probably attributable to Chain's many changes of workplace. The early biographical period is sparsely documented, there are sporadic gaps in the correspondence files, and there is no original documentation of the penicillin research at Oxford (although there are many historical accounts and much correspondence about the history of penicillin). The surviving biographical material provides documentation of the arrangements for Chain to live and work in Britain, later honours and awards and his musical interests, and family correspondence, photographs and press-cuttings. There are very substantial records of his later career at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and Imperial College, London, including his continuing contributions to biochemical problems such as carbohydrate metabolism, ergot alkaloids, edible proteins and aeration studies. The Imperial College material also contains records of the creation, administration, finance and architectural design of the Biochemistry Department, and developments in the Department after Chain's statutory retirement in 1973. Additional information about Chain's research is available in the documentation of his very extensive consultancy agreements and collaborative work with industrial firms such as Astra, Beechams and Rank Hovis McDougall, and records relating to government, grant-giving and charitable bodies such as the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research Campaign and Medical Research Council which contributed to the funding of his research. There is much material on Chain's lectures, addresses and broadcasts, and on his extensive travel on visits and conferences, which includes a substantial number of unpublished talks.

An exceptional feature of the Chain papers is the documentation of the large number of Israel and Jewish organisations with which he was associated, especially the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he was a governor for many years and had at one time considered taking up an appointment.

Records of the Cancer Research Campaign formerly the British Empire Cancer Campaign, covering all aspects of the Campaign's organization and activities. Sections A-C comprise committee minutes, agenda and papers, 1923-1976. The minutes of central headquarters committees are extensive, but there are serious gaps in the top level committees: Grand Council, the Executive Committee and the Scientific Advisory Committee. Efforts to locate the missing records have so far been unsuccessful. In addition, many minutes of sub-committees are either incomplete or unsigned copies. The collection contains very few records of regional branches; and information regarding either their existence or whereabouts is scant. The main body of the archive, Sections D-R, consists largely of files generated by Campaign headquarters, mainly the General Secretary's office. Files contain correspondence, reports, pamphlets, legal documents, press cuttings, articles, off-prints, posters, ephemera, etc. They cover the Campaign's history and organisation; senior members; relations with regional councils, branches, affiliatated bodies and other cancer organisations, both in the UK and overseas; cancer research and government provision; fund raising; research materials and equipment; cancer cures and causes; views and enquiries from the general public; cancer education and publications. There is also a series of press cuttings volumes, and three publicity films made in the 1950s.