Thinking in three dimensions: discovering reciprocal signaling between the extracellular matrix and nucleus and the wisdom of microenvironment and tissue architecture

摘要

I thought long and hard whether I could avoid talking about family and personal life, and just share the excitement of being a scientist and how science continues to sustain us all. But so many people, especially younger scientists, want to know—and always ask—How did you do it? A woman from Iran, a Middle Eastern country and essentially Muslim, now considered backwards and misguided if not downright scary, traveling very young and alone to the United States, finishing college and graduate school together with having children, first-year graduate school and second-year post doc—years ago, going against a number of entrenched dogmas, and yet succeeding against many odds and obstacles, and all the while on soft money? Below is my personal narrative answering some of these questions. If there is one generalization that can be made from all tissue and cell culture studies with regards to the differentiated state, it is this: Since most, if not all, functions are changed in culture, qualitatively and/or quantitatively, there is no constitutive gene expression in higher organisms; i.e. the differentiated state is unstable and the (micro)environment regulates gene expression. Mina J. Bissell International Review of Cytology , 1981 That was then.…After more than 35 years of probing, I know this to still be true. But now I feel a huge sense of responsibility and awe: the honor of winning the E. B. Wilson Medal is truly humbling. There are scores of deserving individuals who have spent their lives to discover the secrets of the cell and to enlighten and educate with generosity and kindness. My heartfelt thanks to all who provided moral support and funding, especially in early days of my career, and to those who kept an open mind and considered my laboratory’s contributions seriously. To my family, who may have made peace with my constant grant writing and work ethic, and still seem to like me! To my many collaborators, especially to my fellows and students for their hard work, passion, and original ideas, and also for putting up with my excessive mentoring and in the process teaching me many things themselves. This singular honor is possible because of you. For students and fellows who are willing to be mentored still: If you are reading this, I hope you will go back and read many more essays by Wilson medalists since each of us is unique; we choose to advise and mentor in our own ways and this is the way it should be. For all of you, and also for myself, I will continue to teach that we must be bold and speak without fear, exposing mediocrity, injustice, and greed, and questioning conclusions and mindless authority. I will continue reminding myself and others that scientific results are not written in stone: well-designed experiments and unexpected data that lead to new paradigms, and maybe even beget medals and prizes, sooner or later will have to be reexamined as we become wise enough to admit how much more remains to be discovered. I believe deeply that the pull and the beauty of science is its humbling complexity, which leaves no room for arrogance, and that looking at new data with unbiased eyes and awe is the sacred duty of science and scientists.