Some Good News

Recent headlines ranged from the crude to the cruel.  The crude being sexually explicit instant messages from Congressman Mark Foley, (R-FL), to underage pages.  The cruel being the most maleficent school attack to date: The execution style shootings of 10 Amish girls by a monster who had brought items designed for the performance of yet more brutal acts.

 

Learning of such things can make some lose faith in both human nature and our nation’s morals.  Maybe news of people who have done good things for humanity will restore the hope and faith of others.
 

The good news this week is that Americans have won all of the Nobel Prizes announced thus far.  Andrew Z. Fire of Stanford University and Craig C. Mello of the University of Massachusetts Medical School won the Nobel Prize for medicine.  John C. Mather of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and George F. Smoot of the University of California at Berkeley won the Nobel Prize for physics.  Roger D. Kornberg of the Stanford University School of Medicine won the Nobel Prize for chemistry.  Winners of the Nobel Prizes for economics, literature and peace will be announced next week.  Prizes will be awarded on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.

 

Fire and Mello won their Nobel Prize for discovering the process of RNA interference.  RNA interference involves development of double stranded RNA molecules.  When introduced into the cell, double stranded “silencing” RNA molecules activate interference mechanisms that break down the messenger RNA, (mRNA), that has the same genetic code.  This prevents the gene from producing the protein it is encoded to make.  In their October 3, 2006 Associated Press article, “Americans Win Nobel Prize in Medicine,” Matt Moore and Karl Ritter write, “a gene causing high blood cholesterol levels was recently shown to be silenced in animals through RNA interference.”  This process is being studied as a means to treat hepatitis, cancer, AIDS and heart disease.
 

Mather and Smoot won their Nobel Prize for their study of cosmic microwave background radiation.  Their research provided physical evidence to support the Big Bang Theory.  Both men were instrumental to the success of NASA’s Cosmic Background Explorer, (COBE), satellite program.  Smoot also found areas in space where there were small variations of the microwave background radiation in various directions.  Such areas can cause matter to aggregate.  After aggregation starts, gravitation pulls in more matter that can lead to the formation of galaxies.
 

Kornberg won the Nobel Prize for his research on genetic transcription.  During transcription, a gene’s DNA is copied into a single strand of mRNA.  The mRNA is transported from the cell’s nucleus to its ribosome where the proteins encoded by that gene are produced.  Kornberg and his team investigated a key enzyme for transcription, RNA polymerase II and demonstrated how a gene to be transcribed is fed into the RNA polymerase II enzyme and comes out with a growing strand of mRNA on it.  Kornberg’s work includes pictures, (in which individual atoms can be discerned), of mRNA being created.  Kornberg’s lab has been further breaking down the transcription process and found that a component, “Mediator,” instructs RNA polymerase II as to which genes to transcribe.  This research has great potential for medicine because disturbances in transcription may be involved in cancer, heart disease and inflammatory diseases.  Additionally, greater knowledge of the transcription process will be needed in the development of stem cell based treatments.
 

The accomplishments of these men emphasize positive attributes of American culture.  One is the drive to innovate and to discover more about our universe.  Another is the value placed on education and knowledge.  Another cultural attribute these scientists share is dedication to one’s work. 
 

One under-rated attribute these researchers share is patience.  Decades of work went into all of these projects.  The COBE satellite program that Mather and Smoot worked on was launched in 1987 and was followed by years of data collection and analysis.  Kornberg’s team spent 20 years on their research including 10 years optimizing laboratory procedures in order to carry out the investigation.  That should remind us that breakthroughs aren’t instant.  Soundbites and factoids don’t substitute for in-depth knowledge of a subject. 
 

Another great thing about these men is their modesty and willingness to share credit.  In the October 2, 2006 NBC11.com article, “Stanford Professor Wins Nobel Prize,” Fire talked of the notification phone call he received.  He said, “Then I thought I was dreaming or maybe it was a wrong number.”  Fire also commented, “It makes me feel incredibly indebted at the same time.  You realize how many other people have been major parts of our efforts.”  Kornberg, too, expressed surprise at being notified that he won.  The October 4, 2006 CBS/AP story, “American Wins Chemistry Nobel Prize,” quotes Kornberg: “When the telephone first rang, I was completely bewildered.”  He added, “I can accept this award on behalf of more than 50 coworkers who have done the work that is cited.  This Nobel Prize, I think, is testimony to their hard work and capabilities.”  In an age in which self-esteem is valued without regard to actual accomplishments, such modesty is refreshing.  It is almost ironic that these great scientists are so unassuming while some celebrities are incredibly egotistical.  Humility may be helpful to research and invention.  Almost single-minded devotion to the subject of one’s research is integral to making great discoveries.  Obsession with the self would detract from that.  Additionally, collaboration speeds research by enlarging the pool of ideas and eliminating redundancy.  Those who want all of the credit for themselves are unlikely to share findings or to inspire others to share theirs with them.
 

Scientific and technological innovation is vital if the U.S. wants to continue to thrive in a global economy.  If the accomplishments of these 2006 Nobel Prize winners inspire young people to pursue careers in such fields, our nation will be on its way to continued prosperity.  Additionally, some of those young people may go on to discover cures for illnesses, new energy sources and a host of benefits to humanity.
 

Copyright Eva Ellsworth, 10/08/06, all rights reserved