I got my first lesson on a new medical topic known ribosome by none other than two Nobel Laureates. I had never studied medical sciences in my school or college days. It’s all because of wrong or defective education policy of earlier days. This results in my daughter knowing more than I know about ribosome or cells or DNA.
DNA started attracting my attention when I read a book titled “Genome” written by Matt Ridley. I read this book to find the depth and the path of human evolution. Today when I was tutored by two Nobel laureates, my concept about these enhanced. The first one I heard Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan known as Venki when he delivered his lecture in FICCI auditorium on 20 Dec 2010.
http://kamekish.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/12/a-winter-morning-with-nobel-laureate.htm
The second one took place on the last day of Jan 2011, when I happened to listen to another Nobel Laureate Dr Ada Yonath from Israel at AIIMS auditorium.
My daughter was curious to listen to a Nobel Laureate. Her query was simple. Can we all go and listen to a Nobel Laureate free of cost? I explained her that this is a public lecture and people of 21st century have this choice (If you are in metro and conscious). Even Rahul Gandhi may not have decided to listen to a Nobel Laureate but you can do that. It’s all a matter of choice.
As usual we were seated in the front row of AIIMS auditorium 15 minutes in advance. I was just cooling down when I saw an old lady of the age of around 80+ came on dais – confused, searching and curious with a serious smile on her face. I told my daughter that my guess is that she may be Nobel Laureate because it resembled the way Ramakrishnan did when he came on dais in FIICI auditorium. Great people have some similarity.
Slowly people started coming on dais and within few minutes all high flying professors and AIIMS Director got activated. The program started dot on time.
Prof TP Singh gave a good introduction of Dr Ada. How he was in contact with her for last thirty years. How she has been working on finding structure of ribosome for last thirty years since 1976? How she was in touch with AIIMS for various help and collection of data? He spoke about the spirit and efforts for persistence to carry on such long projects.
Ada came and started talking about Ribosome. There was no introduction, no formalities nothing. Straight ribosome.
As she also liked to confirm, Ada Yonath started working on ribosome in 1976, with the sole aim to determine structure of ribosome. Finally the efforts of more than 20 years brought color, she could see the structure of ribosome in 2001, 25 years!!
There are 25000 proteins, 100K Cells, 20 types of amino acid in the body.
Ribosome is like a factory taking mRNA and producing protein.
The medical application was a bonus.
"You don't have to be the biggest to beat the biggest." – Henry Ross Perot
The story of David and Goliath is one of the biblical stories I love so much since the days of my childhood. For those of you who may not be familiar with the story, it is simply a story of how a little shepherd boy defeated a famous fully armed giant warrior. An inspiring story of how a boy rose from nothingness to become one of the greatest king and warrior. Though I am not a religious fanatic, I often use this story as a source of inspiration whenever I am faced with a giant obstacle.
“It’s alright to be Goliath but always act like David.” – Philip Knight
It’s all her GODFATHER during her journey towards structure.
She was happy to show the greetings card given by her granddaughter where she was declared best Grandma.
At the end, she confirmed one of my beliefs, sugar is poisonous.
And at the end too she referred to a quote like a GODFATHER which I have mentioned in my unlearning book.
“The secret of life is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to, something you bring everything to, every minute of the day for the rest of your life. And the most important thing is, it must be something you cannot possibly do. - Henry Moore.”
She answered few of the questions before she closed her talk.
I was happy to hand her over my book on unlearning which she delightfully took and promised me to revert back with her comments.
My daughter photographed this event. She was happy to meet another 80+ old lady scientist doing things herself unlike her Dadi.
DNA started attracting my attention when I read a book titled “Genome” written by Matt Ridley. I read this book to find the depth and the path of human evolution. Today when I was tutored by two Nobel laureates, my concept about these enhanced. The first one I heard Dr Venkatraman Ramakrishnan known as Venki when he delivered his lecture in FICCI auditorium on 20 Dec 2010.
http://kamekish.sulekha.com/blog/post/2010/12/a-winter-morning-with-nobel-laureate.htm
The second one took place on the last day of Jan 2011, when I happened to listen to another Nobel Laureate Dr Ada Yonath from Israel at AIIMS auditorium.
My daughter was curious to listen to a Nobel Laureate. Her query was simple. Can we all go and listen to a Nobel Laureate free of cost? I explained her that this is a public lecture and people of 21st century have this choice (If you are in metro and conscious). Even Rahul Gandhi may not have decided to listen to a Nobel Laureate but you can do that. It’s all a matter of choice.
As usual we were seated in the front row of AIIMS auditorium 15 minutes in advance. I was just cooling down when I saw an old lady of the age of around 80+ came on dais – confused, searching and curious with a serious smile on her face. I told my daughter that my guess is that she may be Nobel Laureate because it resembled the way Ramakrishnan did when he came on dais in FIICI auditorium. Great people have some similarity.
Slowly people started coming on dais and within few minutes all high flying professors and AIIMS Director got activated. The program started dot on time.
Prof TP Singh gave a good introduction of Dr Ada. How he was in contact with her for last thirty years. How she has been working on finding structure of ribosome for last thirty years since 1976? How she was in touch with AIIMS for various help and collection of data? He spoke about the spirit and efforts for persistence to carry on such long projects.
Ada came and started talking about Ribosome. There was no introduction, no formalities nothing. Straight ribosome.
As she also liked to confirm, Ada Yonath started working on ribosome in 1976, with the sole aim to determine structure of ribosome. Finally the efforts of more than 20 years brought color, she could see the structure of ribosome in 2001, 25 years!!
There are 25000 proteins, 100K Cells, 20 types of amino acid in the body.
Ribosome is like a factory taking mRNA and producing protein.
The medical application was a bonus.
"You don't have to be the biggest to beat the biggest." – Henry Ross Perot
The story of David and Goliath is one of the biblical stories I love so much since the days of my childhood. For those of you who may not be familiar with the story, it is simply a story of how a little shepherd boy defeated a famous fully armed giant warrior. An inspiring story of how a boy rose from nothingness to become one of the greatest king and warrior. Though I am not a religious fanatic, I often use this story as a source of inspiration whenever I am faced with a giant obstacle.
“It’s alright to be Goliath but always act like David.” – Philip Knight
It’s all her GODFATHER during her journey towards structure.
She was happy to show the greetings card given by her granddaughter where she was declared best Grandma.
At the end, she confirmed one of my beliefs, sugar is poisonous.
And at the end too she referred to a quote like a GODFATHER which I have mentioned in my unlearning book.
“The secret of life is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to, something you bring everything to, every minute of the day for the rest of your life. And the most important thing is, it must be something you cannot possibly do. - Henry Moore.”
She answered few of the questions before she closed her talk.
I was happy to hand her over my book on unlearning which she delightfully took and promised me to revert back with her comments.
My daughter photographed this event. She was happy to meet another 80+ old lady scientist doing things herself unlike her Dadi.
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