The papers of Elizabeth Helen Blackburn (1948- ) span the years 1932-2015, with the bulk of the papers dating from 1978 to 2012. The collection documents primarily Blackburn’s career as a microbiologist, biochemist, and science educator while a professor with the University of California at Berkeley and the University of California at San Francisco. The papers also chronicle her postdoctoral research at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and at the University of California at San Francisco, her endeavors as a speaker and author, and her contributions as a member, leader, and adviser to various scientific organizations and medical advisory boards. The papers are primarily in English and are organized into fourteen series: Correspondence, Laboratory Notebooks, Research File and Notes, Writings File, Teaching File, Speech File, Organizations File, Administrative File, Scientific Topic File, Travel File, Slides and Visual Materials, Digital Backups, Autoradiograph Film, and Oversize .

The collection documents Blackburn’s research as a scientist and educator in the study of telomeres (the molecular protective structures at the end of chromosomes) and telomerase (the enzyme that extends telomeres and keeps cells healthy as they divide) and their effect on aging and diseases such, as cancer and HIV. For her exploration of telomeres and telomerase, Blackburn was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2009 with Carol W. Greider (a former student of Blackburn) and Jack W. Szostak (a collaborator with Blackburn). Blackburn's groundbreaking findings added a new dimension to the scientific understanding of the cell, offered insight into disease mechanisms, and spurred the development of new potential therapies for cancer and aging.

The collection's series are listed and briefly described below. A fuller description of each series and a list of its contents can be accessed in the series descriptions within the container list.

The Correspondence series contains Blackburn’s correspondence with friends, colleagues, scientists, government officials, students, acquaintances, and the public.

The Laboratory Notebooks series constitutes over a third of the collection and contains volumes written by Blackburn herself or in collaboration with a student or technician and laboratory notebooks written by Blackburn’s students, postdoctoral researchers, or technicians.

The Research File and Notes series mainly documents Blackburn’s interests in telomere research.

The Writings File reflects the breadth of Blackburn’s research projects and her contributions in the field of chromosome research.

The Teaching File features primarily courses taught by Blackburn during her career as a professor at the University of California at Berkeley and the University of California at San Francisco.

The Speech File consists of speeches and talks made by Blackburn throughout her career.

The Organizations File highlights Blackburn’s contributions as a member, adviser, and leader of scientific organizations and medical advisory boards.

The Administrative File includes an array of files relating to Blackburn's administrative activities while a professor at the University of California at Berkeley and as a professor and department chair at the University of California at San Francisco.

The Scientific Topic File features an array of research topics of interest to Blackburn.

The Travel File consists chiefly of correspondence and memoranda about travel arrangements, travel itineraries and schedules, notes, and background material pertaining to professional conferences and advisory board meetings.

The Slides and Visual Materials contains slides, negatives, photographs and other visual material documenting the research findings of Blackburn and her collaborators.

The Digital Backups series comprises various files and directories copied mainly from Blackburn's computers, although they include a few of her assistant, Maura Clancy, and computers used by fellows and others working in Blackburn's laboratory.

The Autoradiograph Film series comprises chiefly x-ray films that complement several of the notebooks in the Laboratory Notebooks series.

The Oversize series is made up mainly of autoradiograph films and card files.