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The Joy of Discovery Christian De Duve

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The Joy of Discovery Christian De Duve ScIENcE MASTERcLASS OUTLOOK PROFILE Christian de Duve l Emeritus professor at both the Catholic University of Louvain and the Rockefeller University, New York l Born in Thames-Ditton, near London, The joy of discovery 2 October 1917 to Belgian parents l Returned to Belgium (Antwerp) in 1920 The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974 was awarded to Christian de Duve, Albert l Entered Catholic University of Louvain in Claude and George E. Palade for their discoveries concerning the organization of the cell. 1934 l Had a short stint in the army, concluded How important is an interdisciplinary approach excellence, both intellectually and technically. with an escape from a prisoners’ column in addressing urgent scientific questions, and Science is one field of human endeavour that l Married Janine Herman in September how can we foster such collaborations? must be unashamedly elitist. You cannot seek 1943 (Janine died in 2008). They have four In biomedical research, multidisciplinary col- the truth with poor thinking or sloppy tech- children laboration has become mandatory. The best niques. l Has collaborated with four Nobel — I would say only — way to foster it is by In conducting your research, observe total laureates (Hugo Theorell, Carl & Gerty Cori grouping together experts of all relevant dis- rigour and intellectual honesty in the analysis and Earl Sutherland) during his career ciplines in the same geographical location, as of facts, consider all possible hypotheses, plan was done when the International Institute of your approach to test Cellular and Molecular Pathology (ICP), now “Good research those hypotheses, and instruments and techniques you use — and the de Duve Institute, was founded in Brussels is not learned submit your conclu- to your own ability to handle them. Good in 1974. in books, but at sions to the verdict research sometimes depends on manual skill. the bench, like of observation and Here I have a tip: separate planning and execu- How can the public be convinced of the the crafts in the experimentation tion. Once you have planned an experiment, importance of fundamental research with no Middle Ages.” without preconceived concentrate on its correct performance. The applications in sight? ideas. Never conduct Using simple logic: application presupposes research with the aim two activities are to some extent mutually discovery, and discovery requires research, of proving a theory, but, rather, to invalidate it exclusive. Of course, you must watch for any and research implies exploring the unknown, if it should be wrong. The best proof is failure unusual or unexpected occurrence; if some- with, by definition, the inability to predict how to disprove. thing like that occurs, keep it in mind but useful or profitable whatever will be found In the experimental sciences, pay special don’t change horses midstream. Next, follow could turn out to be. attention to the quality and reliability of the your intuition — your curiosity, which is the Independent of socio-economic strongest motivation for a scientist. considerations, fundamental research Don’t hesitate to be adventurous. Be deserves to be supported for its own self-confident and don’t fear being cultural value. The search for truth ambitious. This is not always possible is, together with the quest for beauty, within the constraints imposed on goodness, meaning and love, a major research from the outside, but do pillar of human civilization. your best. As an aside, before trying to con- Finally, I have two more recom- vince the public of these basic truths, mendations. The first is: enjoy it. one should perhaps start with the Science is fun. Exercising your brain administrators who too frequently and your fingers at the same time tend to ignore them. provides immense satisfaction. The joy of discovery is unmatchable. Many people consider the peer-review My second recommendation is to system broken. Do you share their the younger generation just enter- view, and do you have a solution? ing research. Choose your mentors I believe peer review is an essential well. Good research is not learned component of the scientific endeav- in books, but at the bench, like the our, and vitally dependent on ethi- crafts in the Middle Ages, under the cal integrity. Regarding this latter supervision of a master. attribute, the system seems to me to be under threat because of what I Aside from as a Nobel laureate, how do perceive — perhaps wrongly — as an you want the world to be remember you? increase in scientific misconduct and I have no such ambition. In the his- because of the growing involvement tory of science, my contributions are of academic investigators in profit- minor and would have been made directed research. by someone else had I not stumbled on them first. They already appear What advice would you give all young in textbooks without mention researchers who are starting their of my name. I am no Galileo, Newton, research life, so as to become a good Darwin, Einstein or Watson and Crick. scientist? But I have had fun and have been First, whatever you do, seek rewarded beyond my deserts. So be it. 14 OCTOBER 2010 | VOL 467 | NATURE | S5.
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