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October 2015

Nobel Prize award Chemistry-2015

-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.


Happy Birthday Bapu

-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.