Finding, Conducting, and Nurturing Science: A Virologist's Memoir

Abstract

My laboratory investigations have been driven by an abiding interest in understanding the consequences of genetic rearrangement in evolution and disease, and in using viruses to elucidate fundamental mechanisms in biology. Starting with bacteriophages and moving to the retroviruses, my use of the tools of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics has spanned more than half a century—from the time when DNA structure was just discovered to the present day of big data and epigenetics. Both riding and contributing to the successive waves of technology, my laboratory has elucidated fundamental mechanisms in DNA replication, repair, and recombination. We have made substantial contributions in the area of retroviral oncogenesis, delineated mechanisms that control retroviral gene expression, and elucidated critical details of the structure and function of the retroviral enzymes—reverse transcriptase, protease, and integrase—and have had the satisfaction of knowing that the fundamental knowledge gained from these studies contributed important groundwork for the eventual development of antiviral drugs to treat AIDS. While pursuing laboratory research as a principal investigator, I have also been a science administrator—moving from laboratory head to department chair and, finally, to institute director. In addition, I have undertaken a number of community service, science-related “extracurricular” activities during this time. Filling all of these roles, while being a wife and mother, has required family love and support, creative management, and, above all, personal flexibility—with not too much long-term planning. I hope that this description of my journey, with various roles, obstacles, and successes, will be both interesting and informative, especially to young female scientists.