Twenty fascinating conversations

In 2012, the JCI’s Editor in Chief Howard Rockman proposed a new series focusing on the careers of today’s most accomplished physician-scientists. Since then, Editor at Large Ushma Neill has interviewed scientists as part of the Conversations with Giants in Medicine series, including Laurie Glimcher, Huda Zoghbi, and Oliver Smithies. The interviews have revealed the diverse career paths, hidden talents, and sometimes quirky personalities of this inspirational group of researchers. To reflect on her experiences, she collected her favorite moments from the series in this highlight reel.

Best of Conversations with Giants in Medicine

JCI Editor at Large Ushma S. Neill shares some of the best moments from the series Conversations with Giants in Medicine, 2012–2017.

Stuart Orkin

During Stuart Orkin’s training as a physician-scientist, he decided to focus on pediatric blood disorders as an area where disease genetics could connect directly to scientific investigations. His work in this field ultimately identified the genetic mutations responsible for thalassemia and chronic granulomatous disease. Recently, his focus has shifted toward singling out hematopoietic targets that can be exploited to treat hematological disorders, including leukemia and sickle cell disease. In this issue of the JCI, Editor at Large Ushma Neill interviews Dr. Orkin to discuss his path toward medicine and scientific research as well as the stories behind these highlights of his research career.  

Eric Olson

Eric Olson’s pivotal research in the field of molecular biology has uncovered the mechanisms that control cardiac and skeletal muscle development. His current work focuses on finding new treatments for muscular dystrophies, potential regenerative approaches for cardiac and skeletal muscle, and the role of epigenetic mechanisms as regulators of muscle development. Dr. Olson currently holds the Annie and Willie Nelson Professorship in Stem Cell Research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and is himself a talented musician. This month, in a conversation with JCI Editor at Large Ushma Neill, he discusses how creativity and a love of discovery have driven his career in science and what it was like to meet Willie Nelson.  

Bruce Alberts

Though Bruce Alberts is well known for his work on the biochemistry of DNA replication and as the editor-in-chief of Science, he is also recognizable as the author of the seminal biology textbook Molecular Biology of the Cell. Alberts served as the president of the National Academy of Sciences for over a decade and is currently a professor at University of California, San Francisco. This year, his dedication to advancing science policy and education was recognized with the Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award. JCI’s editor-at-large Ushma Neill sat down with Alberts to talk about how his background in science shaped his later work as an educator and leader in science policy. They also discuss the challenges of improving science education through writing, editing, and policy making.