How to Win the Nobel Prize? Peter Agre
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Book Review/Science in the Media How to Win the Nobel Prize? Peter Agre many unique features. For example, often permanently scars the recipient Doherty’s writings are much less with unwanted demands that usually gossipy than James Watson’s infamous remove the privacy and protection The Double Helix [1], and they are much needed for introspection and creativity. more mainstream than Kary Mullis’s Apparently, most Nobel laureates never gonzo-science as told in Dancing Naked recover from the event, and many can in the Mind Field [2]. Doherty’s book no longer pursue their life’s work at the does not contain the heartbreak of former level of activity, if at all. a Jewish child in 1930s Vienna as Unafraid to pull his punches, revealed in Eric Kandel’s In Search of Doherty has some specifi c advice to Memory [3]; the volume is probably government leaders. He clearly states closer to J. Michael Bishop’s How to that there is nothing to stop a United Win the Nobel Prize: An Unexpected Life in States president from appointing a top Science [4], in which the amusing and scientist to the Cabinet. Indeed, John whimsical side of science is presented. F. Kennedy did so by naming the fi rst Peter Doherty can never be accused US presidential science adviser, Jerome of egotistical self promotion. As Wiesner, who subsequently became he reveals, science journalist Gina president of MIT. My own advice to Kolata, upon learning of the 1996 current US First Lady Laura Bush is Nobel announcements, considered that Doherty’s book would have been Rolf Zinkernagel (Doherty’s co- a valuable 60th birthday gift to the US DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0040333.g001 winner) normal enough, although commander in chief. Then he might his nickname “Hyper-Zink” may have realize that all Nobel laureates are not Doherty P (2006) The beginner’s guide been a clue that was missed. However, “Nobel Peace Prize winners,” as he is to winning the Nobel Prize. New York: Columbia University Press. 320 p. ISBN the same journalist described Doherty known to address the new awardees at 0231138962. US$24.95 as “Eeyore-like,” in reference to A.A. their annual visit to the White House. Milne’s depressive donkey. Whether The press often seek Nobel laureates this is accurate is unknown to me, but for comments, and Doherty plainly ased on the title—The Beginner’s the image is unforgettable. reveals the danger of such. Responding Guide to Winning the Nobel The description of the three to an Australian journalist who asked BPrize—one might expect Peter years that Doherty and Zinkernagel about his opinion on opportunities to Doherty’s new book to be a handbook worked together in Australia was a train abroad, Dougherty was frustrated targeted to the emerging group of high point. Apparently, Zinkernagel to see his words misrepresented in anxious parents whose expectations had a fondness for singing soprano print as “Nobel Prize winner tells for their youngsters’ achievements arias from Mozart operas in his basso young scientists to go to America.” It have reached the stratospheric level. voice. The two men’s families were was even worse when his positive view In truth, this is a delightful history and so engaged in the process that they of the American liberal arts education series of essays by an affable Australian have no photos of that intense time. appeared under the headline “Nobel veterinarian—sort of a James Herriott Doherty and Zinkernagel’s wives may laureate suggests a society of ‘Know- of science—who shared the 1996 be the real heroines of the 1996 prize, It-Alls.’” At the same time, Doherty is Nobel Prize in medicine. I enjoyed since they raised four preschool-aged critical of the often misinformed public sitting down with this book as much as children while holding jobs of their I enjoy slipping on a comfortable old own. Doherty refl ects that this may pair of shoes and sitting in our garden represent the kindness of women, and Citation: Agre P (2006) How to win the Nobel on a Saturday evening with a glass of both couples have stayed together— Prize? PLoS Biol 4(10): e333. DOI: 10.1371/journal. wine. Doherty’s book will make an not the usual case in modern life. I pbio.0040333 interesting and entertaining read for must confess that the stories of their DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0040333 scientists and will provide a delightful personal lives were more engaging experience for the nonscientists, who than the discussion of cell-mediated Copyright: © 2006 Peter Agre. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative may be impressed to learn how decent immunity that won them their Nobel. Commons Attribution License, which permits and truly normal an internationally Peter Doherty shares observations unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in renowned scientist can be. on a variety of topics that may not be any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Autobiographies have been too surprising to veteran scientists, published previously by several Nobel but again his views may be very Peter Agre is Vice Chancellor for Science and Technology, Duke University School of Medicine, laureates. Although this volume is informative to nonscientifi c readers. Durham, North Carolina, United States. E-mail: in some ways similar, it also bears He notes that, sadly, the Nobel Prize [email protected] PLoS Biology | www.plosbiology.org 1669 October 2006 | Volume 4 | Issue 10 | e333 for expecting that scientists will provide Women in particular are vulnerable I look forward to reading future miraculous breakthroughs that absolve to “death by committees,” and their Nobel autobiographies, in particular, the public of responsibility. representation is sorely needed. (4) stories by the women Nobel laureates. The very worrisome issue of fraud Avoid prestigious administrative roles. Their views will be particularly useful, in science is treated with considerable This is a major source of destruction, in light of the recent and dramatic skill. In Doherty’s opinion, this rare particularly to those from clinical emergence of women in certain but extremely damaging event is backgrounds. Now a sometimes scientifi c disciplines. And like many often the product of a remarkable beleaguered vice chancellor, I can others, I hope that we will get the breakthrough that subsequently cannot only underscore the importance of this amazing inside story from two other be reproduced by the discoverer. point. (5) Live a long time. It may take Australians, Barry Marshall and Robin Young scientists in particular need to 50 years for the Nobel recognition of a Warren, winners of the 2005 medicine be guided to avoid this fatal trap, and discovery! prize, on how they discovered that Doherty extols the need to know when Other topics could have been peptic ulcer disease is caused by a lowly to back away from a promising result. covered, such as the transience of bacterium: it involves the unlikely Doherty’s fi nal chapter, entitled Nobel celebrity. Quickly ask yourself, combination of drinking a bacterial “How to Win a Nobel Prize,” is a rich who won the Nobels two years ago? culture and surfi ng. source of pearls for the young scientist. The book also does not discuss the It refl ects the previous publication by irony where the conventional wisdom Acknowledgments Michael Bishop [4] as well as Santiago regarding a discovery or development Funding. The author received no specifi c Ramon y Cajal’s classic from 1898, does not coincide with the actual Nobel funding for this article. The author has Advice to a Young Investigator. I will stress committee decisions. For example, Competing interests. declared that no competing interests exist. just a few pieces of advice: (1) Learn the 1954 Nobel Prize for medicine to write clearly and concisely. The was awarded to Enders, Wellers, and References problem with much of science is that Robbins for their work on polio—not 1. Watson J (1968) The double helix: A personal account of the discovery of the structure of the scientists hurt their own efforts by to Salk and Sabin. Similarly, the 1923 DNA. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. 213 p. being unintelligible. (2) Be generous Nobel Prize for medicine went to 2. Mullis K (1998) Dancing naked in the mind fi eld. New York: Pantheon Books. 222 p. and culturally aware. Acknowledge the Banting and MacLeod for the discovery 3. Kandel E (2006) In search of memory: The achievements of others. Every young of insulin—not to Banting and Best as emergence of a new science of mind. New scientist needs frequent reminders that commonly believed. So even winning York: W. W. Norton. 510 p. 4. Bishop JM (2003) How to win the Nobel Prize: it is important to have as few enemies a Nobel is not a guarantee of being An unexpected life in science. Cambridge: as possible. (3) Time is precious. remembered. Harvard University Press. 288 p. PLoS Biology | www.plosbiology.org 1670 October 2006 | Volume 4 | Issue 10 | e333.