|
Perspectives
Risk and Pleasure - by Larry
Cohen
Most
scientists start their careers along a particular scientific path and
will stay in that path until the end. In some fields one can be reasonably
certain that this path will bear fruit; if not in one's own laboratory,
at least in other laboratories pursuing the same subject.
Not true
in systems neuroscience. This field is so primitive, and the brain apparently
so complex, that it may be generations or centuries before it is known
whether a chosen path was fruitful. The risk of devoting one's life
to a dead end does lend excitement to the choice.
I have
developed optical methods for monitoring neuron activity because these
methods lend themselves to multiple-site recordings and it seemed to
me that multiple-site recordings would be essential to working out how
brains generate behaviors. In the 25 years since we started, there has
been progress. One can now monitor the action potential activity of
about 500 neurons in an invertebrate ganglion during the generation
of behaviors. Recently we have turned to using similar technology to
monitor population activity in the olfactory system. Because there is
substantial support in the neuroscience community for this research
direction, my career is doing fine. Nonetheless the risk remains that
it will be useless.
Most scientists
will never move from the institution of their first academic appointment,
or they move once. Another gamble. I was fortunate to come to a department
where the senior faculty took care of the junior faculty. They provided
an atmosphere and opportunity to do the best we could as scientists.
This supportive and encouraging feeling still pervades. Everyone hopes
that each individual in the department will do science that will make
us all feel proud.
The mixture
of risk and encouragement has made for a great career.
|