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Born | December 29, 1961, Pawtucket, Rhode Island |
Position | Director of Mass Spectrometry and Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Biology, the Scripps Research Institute |
| Biography | B.S. in chemistry and B.A. in mathematics, both at Rhode Island College, 1985; Ph.D. in physical chemistry at Dartmouth College, 1990, with Joseph BelBruno. He took his present position as director in 1990 and was made associate professor in 2000. Siuzdak was last year's distinguished lecturer for the Society of Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh. |
| Research interests | Virus characterization, human natural product analysis, and the development of mass spectrometry. Recent work has led to the extension of electrospray mass spectrometry to the analysis of whole, intact viruses. Uniquely, the technique does not render the viruses inactive. Recent work has led to the extension of electrospray mass spectrometry to the analysis of whole, intact viruses, which does not render them inactive in the process. |
What was the key event that pushed you into research?
My interest was initially stirred by a collaboration with Scripps chemist Kyriacos "K.C." Nicolaou and a project involving the non-covalent association of glycolipids. This work with K.C. made me realize the power mass spectrometry could have in the analysis of biomolecules and the importance of focusing on significant problems.
Who was your most influential teacher?
Gerry MarcAurele was perhaps my most influential teacher and friend, offering insight into all aspects of life and science. Indirectly, Richard Lerner at Scripps - I've never met such an inspired person nor doubt I will again. Richard has a unique combination of knowledge, intelligence, drive, and undefeatable attitude . . . the man is incredible and sets the bar for all other scientists.
Which research paper has had the most effect on your work?
Not necessarily papers, but actually two lectures by Richard Zare and Peter Schultz. Both Zare and Schultz are certainly addressing very important problems, which is interesting in itself. Yet, way beyond that, is their enthusiasm for science.
Who awarded you your first grant and what was it for?
The NIH, for viral characterization. It was very successful and has led me into a wide variety of studies including viral identification, inactivation, viral capsid dynamics, and whole virus analysis.
What was your best experiment?
Developing desorption/ionization on silicon (DIOS) mass spectrometry, was among the most satisfying experiments we have done. It is still a new technology, but others are starting to see its potential and it has already been used in such diverse areas as small molecule analysis, forensics, protein characterization, and pharmacokinetics.
Which scientific idea do you regret the most?
None, really. Even the less significant ones can lead you to something more important. For instance, we designed a simple set of experiments to map the viral capsid using limited proteolysis many years ago. As designed, those experiments were not very exciting in themselves, yet they led us to observe viral capsid mobility. This observation has since allowed us to demonstrate that viruses can be inactivated by passing molecules through their mobile/porous capsid.
What qualities do you need to be a successful researcher?
For the way I pursue science, the most important qualities are creativity and the ability to collaborate across disciplines.
If you could work with any scientist (historical or current), who would it be?
George Whitesides, a Harvard scientist working on, among other things, adhesion of mammalian cells, viruses, and bacteria to surfaces; or Richard Lerner, a Scripps researcher who works in the field of antibody catalysts and related phenomena.
What is the greatest unanswered scientific question?
How to identify and functionally characterize the role of the thousands of unidentified human natural products. We know quite a few already, but we are just scratching the surface. Ultimately, this will lead to new ways of diagnosing disease and developing drugs. One example is work we did on a naturally occurring sleep-inducing agent, oleamide. Although perhaps the simplest example is nitric oxide (NO). Since its discovery, there have been thousands of papers discussing - and demonstrating - its function and therapeutic value.
What scientific plans do you have for the next five years?
Devising methods for characterizing human natural products and to characterize/inactivate viruses. We plan to explore new experimental and computational methods to accomplish this goal, largely building on the existing base of knowledge that the previous five years has provided.
David Bradley, a freelance science writer, lives on the edge of the fens north of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Elemental Discoveries is his Webzine of science news.
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