Word: brito
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...Brito is exceptional in other ways that make her both an interesting subject of a book and a misleading example of the modern researcher. Unlike most, she is an intellectual pariah. "Her position on Hodgkin's disease was, for the five years of this book. a minority one. She simply worked on a hunch. albeit one in accord with many observations. but still just a vision. But while she has been proved correct in some ways, most scientists do not put themselves out on a limb as Dr. Brito did. Brito bravely defends her attitude. "To be frightened of making...
...this latter category is Peter Mitchell. 1979 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry who. when deprived of research money, funded his own lab in order to pursue the work which lead to his prize. But not every scientist is independently wealthy like Mitchell and not many have the guts of Brito...
...Brito is also unusual in her ability t resist the temptation to rush publication. to anticipate date before hard facts are available. She is correct that ideas are "better. safer, surer" when looked at critically at length, but in a world of publicity seeking scientists who use press conferences to announce results and where speed in publishing is essential for grants and recognition, she is an anomaly...
...which makes Brito's lab an unusual place to work. It is not hierarchical or internally competitive like most. Its workers are not strapped by anxiety. To work for her seems like fun. Her lab is. as virologist Max Delbruck once said, "a playground for serious children who ask ambitious questions...
...also unusual because it employs a large number of women in its projects. This may be accidental or it may be due to the fact that Brito looks to work with other women. But it is unusual. Biology after all is still (although less than other sciences) a male dominated profession...