Mostly lab notebooks used for experiments, which are retained in the original numbered sequence. Lab notes have been removed from original notebook ringbinders and replaced in folders as loose papers, with original titles on folders replicated and indicated in the catalogue within inverted commas.

Much of the earlier notebooks contain the work used for experiments relating to Bodmer's molecular genetics work on DNA transformation in Bacillus subtilis, which he published in. The notebooks contain mostly data and preparation instructions for experiments with a small amount of contextual notes. Later notebooks relate to work carried out with Julia Bodmer and Rose Payne on human lymphocyte antigens in Payne's laboratory.