During this summer, I have had the privilege of working in Karl Dimiter (Dimi) Bissig’s lab. While I was expected to have a conventional meeting with him, asking about his educational background, studies, and teaching experiences, my curiosity led me to deviate from the prescribed path. I couldn’t resist posing my scientific inquiries, and so I did. I broke the rules.
I was particularly interested in asking about his lab’s recent paper on Glutaric Aciduria (GA-1)–a lysine catabolism disorder with no current treatment. GA-1 results in the accumulation of glutaric acid in the brain, leading to paralysis, seizures, and early childhood death. Observing that many other amino acid catabolic disorders originated in the liver, Dimi speculated that Glutaric Aciduria could maybe originate in the liver too. There was only one issue with this theory: Multiple scientific papers supported the belief that Glutaric Aciduria originates in the brain. However, as Dimi read these papers, he detected a tiny yet crucial piece of overlooked data that could potentially confirm his original hypothesis: GA-1 does originate in the liver.
Despite facing opposition and discouragement from the scientific community, who deemed his theory preposterous, and his research initiative doomed, Dimi pressed on. He conducted an experiment and after seven years and just two months ago, his paper was published. His lab proved that glutaric aciduria does indeed originate in the liver rather than the brain. Additionally, because of the disorder’s hepatic origin and because the liver is much more treatable than the brain, Dimi’s lab even developed a viable therapy. As a result, these groundbreaking discoveries will come to save thousands of lives!
Through Dimi’s account, I realized that the most remarkable scientists are those who are unafraid to defy conventions, think creatively, persevere, and willing to accept the risk of failure. This paper and Dimi’s story have profoundly motivated me to pursue a career in research, providing invaluable insights into the essence of conducting impactful science. I would likely never have encountered this story or arrived at this realization if I had obediently adhered to the prescribed questions and simply followed convention.
Way to go! I’m sure he really appreciated your genuine interest in his research and was super happy to share with you. Sounds like you definitely gleaned more from this discussion than what you had originally planned. Cool!