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When conflicted becomes corrupted II - the Molette doctrine

2012; The Company of Biologists; Volume: 125; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1242/jcs.104455

1477-9137

Molette,

Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research

Dear Uncle Mole,Thanks for waiting: I am delighted to report that the splicing and dicing of DNA for my latest experiment is coming along just brilliantly. This is one of those projects you do on the side, without really telling anyone. If things don't work it's only a few (relatively) low-cost reagents… but if something does come of it all, then guess who will be the darling of the next lab meeting?Speaking of slicing and dicing, these days I'm also quite enjoying the produce from my weekly farm share. For a modest sum upfront, I get a weekly box of fresh produce from a local farm. There are only two problems I have identified thus far: beets and kale. Uncle Mole, I do not know what to do with beets and kale. If you have any ideas, let me know. For now I am stashing them in the back corner of my refrigerator until I come up with a definitive plan.Yet all jesting aside, I'm still pondering the topic of our last correspondence, namely the problems with scientific integrity that may be more widespread than any of us would like to believe. Looking at the (long) list of investigators who have been pulled into what can only be described as unethical behavior, I've come up with my own strategies for how to avoid becoming one of them. It's too easy to go with platitudes like 'pick a good mentor' or 'always tell the truth'. Those are both important to be sure, but does anyone go into science planning to fudge their data or model their career trajectory on an unethical nincompoop? Of course not – yet it happens. I'm not exactly tabulae rasa when it comes to my career development, but I have enough years ahead of me that I'd prefer to avoid the entanglements that have trapped some of my colleagues. So here's what I've come up with, Uncle Mole. Let me know what you think of the Molette doctrine.I'll be honest, Uncle Mole, I've had my moments of wondering what it would be like if something I discover turns out to be important. The thing is, when I think about what people will say about me many years from now when I'm old (but not gray, since I have no intention of ever letting that show!), I don't want to be famous if it comes at the price of shady ethics or political games. Just recently a close colleague told me that I am "a character". It made me laugh at the time, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that was the perfect description for what I hope my career will be. "Ahh, that Professor Molette," I hope my colleagues will say, when I'm still tottering into the lab in my old age since I can't seem to resist a good project. "Still as much of a character as ever!" And you know what they say, Uncle Mole: it takes one to know one…Until next time,MoletteDear Molette incorruptible,Oh my dear, you are so right – we do know that there are investigators who fudge, and we fear that they teach their trainees by example. But don't worry, we don't let them do this, and I'll tell you how. It's why we have committees who oversee our students, working to instill the values of the community. And now we are trying to ensure that every student, and every postdoc, spend time learning the ethics of our profession – what is acceptable and what most definitely is not. And we have trainees, like you, who lead by example.In my black moods (I have them once in a very great while), I am outraged that we do not punish the cheats enough. Yes, we parade them in front of the press and ban them from further funding, but I often think (when I'm dark and angry) that we should bring back the pillory. Hey, there's a use for beets and kale for you!I know a case of outright fraud – a 'scientist' who simply made it all up, fully fabricating the data. And I continue to be outraged when I hear that after being tossed out on his poxy ear he has made a career of consulting, and that anyone would actually pay this, this, pustule (I'm being polite) for his so-called expertise. But there is a sunny side to the story. I know, I can't help but be sunny. He was actually exposed by his trainees, who were pretty traumatized by the whole thing. And one of them ended up (for now) working with me. I can tell you that he is utterly honest, hard working, and a terrific scientist; and when he becomes independent, which I know he will, I'll be proud to call him my valued colleague (of course, he already is). Far from learning the wrong path, he knows very well where that highway leads.I love that you're a character. So am I. One of our rewards for doing this thing we do is that we get to be characters. We can show others that we can be quirky and have fun, while being absolutely true to this enterprise, this amazing and utterly human exploration we call science.And yeh, I hate beets, too.Love,Uncle Mole