Salvador Luria: The Man Behind the Curtain
1994; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 37; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/pbm.1994.0022
ISSN1529-8795
Autores Tópico(s)Climate Change Communication and Perception
ResumoSALVADOR LURIA: THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN ROBERT LANZA* I do not know how I got the idea. When I think it over now it occurs to me that I ought to have wondered at doing it, but at the time it all seemed quite natural. I had just finished high school, and had been wanting to meet a Nobel prize laureate for some time. I wondered what it would be like. I would have to introduce myself, you know. "Excuse me, Professor Einstein, my name is Robert Lanza." Boston had many colleges and universities. One of the most important was MIT. The Institute had recently broadened the scope of its scholarly work beyond the limits of technology. Besides technology and engineering , it had made notable contributions through research in the biological sciences. And so I made my way there. "Could you tell me, please," I inquired inside the main building, "do you have any Nobel prize winners?" "Yes," said the man. "Salvador Luria, Director of the Center for Cancer Research." (I had not the slightest idea who he was, but I thought it would be grand to meet him anyhow). "Do you know where I could find him?" The man looked in his directory and wrote: "Luria, Salvador E. Building E17." So, with this slip of paper, I left. I was naturally excited and lost no time in going across the campus to his office. One of his secretaries sat at the front desk, sifting through sheets of paper. I was scared, so deeply scared I had to look at the slip of paper again. "Excuse me," said I. "Could I please speak to Dr. Salvador?" "You mean Dr. Luria?" I managed a lopsided smile (as well as I could, for I felt very stupid). "Yes, of course!" "Do you have an appointment?" ?Address: 6 Peterson Road, Natick, Massachusetts 01760.© 1994 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved. 003 1-5982/94/3703-087 1$01 .00 Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 37, 3 ¦ Spring 1994 359 "No, but I was hoping I could ask him a quick question." The woman squinted. "He'll be in meetings all day. But you might try to catch him at lunchtime." There was no time to read all his scientific papers. But I found a library in a building not a few blocks from his office. I learned that he and Max Delbrück and Alfred Hershey had won the 1969 Nobel Prize for discoveries concerning viruses and viral diseases that provided a foundation for molecular biology. Lunchtime came. "Fm back," said I. "Is Dr. Luria in?" The secretary nodded. "Yes. He's in his office. Just knock on the door." "Are you sure?" I asked a little shyly. "Yes, go ahead. He doesn't have much time." As I knocked, my stomach did a slow rollover that made me feel a bit nervous with sudden second thoughts. "Come in." I looked at him, thunderstruck. He was just sitting there, eating his lunch, half a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich in his hand. "Who are You?" he said in an almost-perturbed voice. I got a feeling exactly like that the cowardly lion had when he approached the Wizard of Oz, with the clouds of fire swirling round. "My name is Robert Lanza." "Who sent you?" "Nobody." "You mean you just came in off the street?" This was not an encouraging start for a conversation. I replied, "I—I am looking for a job, Sir. I've done some work with Dr. Steven Kuffler of the Harvard Medical School, and was wondering if you could use any help." I thought I might as well mention Dr. Kuffler, as I did not quite know what to say to him, and perhaps after all it might help. "Sit down," he said. "Steven Kuffler? He's a very good fellow." His large eyes shone as we talked. I told him about some experiments I did in my basement, and how I had met Dr. Kuffler in a parking lot some years ago. "I don't do much research anymore," he said. "It's mostly administrative . But I'll get you a job." I thanked...
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