EBOOK
Madness and Memory
The Discovery of Prions-A New Biological Principle of Disease
Stanley B. Prusiner(0)
About
In 1997, Stanley B. Prusiner received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research on devastating brain diseases. That he was the award's sole recipient was entirely appropriate. His struggle to identify the agent responsible for scrapie and mad cow disease in animals, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, had been waged largely alone, and in some cases, in the face of strenuous opposition.
In Madness and Memory, Prusiner recounts the journey to his remarkable discovery of prions-infectious proteins that replicate and cause disease, but surprisingly contain no genetic material. Along the way, he sheds light on the world of contemporary science and the meticulousness and perseverance it requires. Through his telling, the agony and triumph of years of research comes to life, along with fascinating portraits of fellow scientists racing to make breakthrough discoveries.
Prusiner's hypothesis, once considered heresy, now stands as accepted science and provides a path toward conquering such pervasive scourges as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's, and others diseases.
In Madness and Memory, Prusiner recounts the journey to his remarkable discovery of prions-infectious proteins that replicate and cause disease, but surprisingly contain no genetic material. Along the way, he sheds light on the world of contemporary science and the meticulousness and perseverance it requires. Through his telling, the agony and triumph of years of research comes to life, along with fascinating portraits of fellow scientists racing to make breakthrough discoveries.
Prusiner's hypothesis, once considered heresy, now stands as accepted science and provides a path toward conquering such pervasive scourges as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's, and others diseases.
Related Subjects
Reviews
"A unique story, yet many elements will be familiar to scientists in competitive fields. It is a cautionary tale about how vicious science can be, but . . . it could also encourage others to stick to their beliefs and rely on careful science as they meet obstacles."
Ellen Daniell, author of Every Other Thursday
"Perhaps not since James D. Watson's 1968 memoir The Double Helix has the down and dirty business of world-class science been given such an airing."
Abigail Zuger, MD, The New York Times
"It is a remarkable tale . . . [A] testament to the staggering intellect and courage involved in one of the most exciting discoveries since the DNA double helix."
Giovanna Mallucci, Nature