Striving towards Excellence

-Karthik Gurumurthy

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2015 wasn't awarded to a single individual, but rather jointly to three scientists who all made crucial contributions to understanding DNA repair mechanisms:

• Tomas Lindahl: Swedish, received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Karolinska Institute in 1967. He currently serves as Emeritus Senior Scientist at the Francis Crick Institute and Honorary Professor at the University of Oxford.
• Paul Modrich: American, earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Duke University in 1976. He continues to work as the James B. Duke Professor of Biochemistry at Duke University School of Medicine.
• Aziz Sancar: Turkish-American, obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Rochester in 1977. He is currently a James B. Duke Professor of Biochemistry and Pharmacology at Duke University School of Medicine.

Their Contributions:

These three laureates were jointly recognized for their groundbreaking work on how cells repair damaged DNA, a crucial process for maintaining genomic stability and preventing cancer and other diseases. Their research sheds light on the intricate mechanisms involved in identifying and correcting DNA errors, providing valuable insights into human health and disease.

• Lindahl focused on understanding the mechanisms by which cells identify and remove damaged bases from DNA, playing a key role in establishing the concept of base excision repair.
• Modrich discovered and characterized mismatch repair, a process that corrects errors incorporated during DNA replication, significantly impacting our understanding of genetic mutations and cancer development.
• Sancar elucidated the complex pathway of nucleotide excision repair, which repairs DNA damage caused by UV radiation and other environmental factors, contributing to our knowledge of skin cancer and aging.

Their collective work on DNA repair has significantly impacted various fields, including cancer research, aging studies, and understanding human health and disease.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

You know what's wild? I don't think it's an accident when certain people pop into my life. Take my good friend Marishankar- we literally bumped into each other while I was waiting for bus to go to my IIT JEE classes. What are the odds? Something about the vibes that felt good. 

And it's not just the good connections that matter. That manager I had who micromanaged everything? Couldn't stand her at the time, but she actually pushed me to document my work better, which has helped me so much in my current job.

I've started seeing life as this big classroom where everyone's both a student and teacher. Like last weekend, I was stuck behind this super slow walker on a narrow sidewalk and got all irritated. Then I noticed they had a slight limp. Instant perspective check! Made me think about all the invisible struggles people might be dealing with.

When I look back at things that made no sense at the time - like getting irritated by one of the parents who asked million questions- several examples like that - they usually led to something better or taught me something important. The dots connect looking backward.

I find comfort in that. Even when I'm confused or hurting, it's probably just part of the story that will make sense later. Like chapters in a book that only come together when you've read the whole thing.

So now when I meet someone new, or even when someone annoys me, I try to think: "I wonder what lesson we're here to learn from each other?" That rude cashier might be teaching me patience. That overly talkative seatmate on my flight might be reminding me how to really listen.

Everyone we meet is part of the journey, you know? I'm trying not to write anyone off too quickly. You never know who might change your life or teach you exactly what you need to learn right now.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

I'm learning that living means saying yes to all of it—the good days and the bad ones too. I can't bubble-wrap myself or the people I care about against life's harder moments. Like when my friend lost his dad last year—I couldn't fix it for her, but I could listen to her when she was going through it.

Sometimes I catch myself thinking I can solve all the world's problems if I just try hard enough. Ha! Talk about putting pressure on myself!

What I'm realizing is that my job is simpler (but not easier): to find balance in the tug-of-war of daily life. Yesterday I was torn between staying late at work to finish a project (responsibility) and making it to my kid's soccer game (love). I managed to do both by shifting some meetings around. I'm trying not to let any one thing—work, relationships, fun, obligations—completely take over.

One thing that helps me keep perspective is humor. When I spilled coffee all over my white shirt right before an important presentation, I could have melted down. Instead, I laughed and joked that I was starting a new fashion trend. It didn't change the situation, but it sure made it easier to handle.

I'm just one small thread in this massive tapestry of life. That thought helps me when I'm stressing about something that feels huge in the moment—like that argument I had with Shobana  about loading the dishwasher "the right way." In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter?

When I keep this balance, the wins don't make me too cocky, and the losses don't crush me.  Last year, after that rejection letter from the job I really wanted, I allowed myself one day to feel disappointed, then moved forward. Same with that recognition I got last spring—I celebrated, but didn't let it define me.

I need to remind myself daily: my main job isn't to fix everything or be perfect—it's simply to live.

-Karthik Gurumurthy

As we celebrate the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, we can take some time to think about how he led his life. One of my favorite quotes from Mahatma Gandhi is,  “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” To truly lead, and make a difference in the world, we must always start with our self.

In order to start with our self,we must understand if our actions come from a place of obligation or opportunity. Do we see moments to serve others as a matter of obligation or opportunity? The people who act as leaders almost always act from a sense of incredible opportunity.

How do we change our motivation from a place of obligation to opportunity? This is a challenge faced by the entire society. Many people face this challenge of perspective because of their lack of self-mastery. People have fallen victim to allowing their dissatisfaction control them.

A recent Wall Street Journal report stated that 80% of line workers and 50% of executives are dissatisfied with their lives at work. This highlights the challenge for anyone is to make a life while making a living. Many people feel paralyzed by their lack of control over life.

Instead of losing control over our life, we can focus on all the things we do control. To achieve this, hone in on our self-mastery skills. Self-mastery defines the promises made versus promises kept, both to oneself and to others.