ISOM7

Gerald McLaughlin, PhD (Jerry) Presenter DescriptionEric Kandel “In Search of Memory”May, 2007 NIH SIG BCIG Book Club : 

Gerald McLaughlin, PhD (Jerry) Presenter Description Eric Kandel “In Search of Memory” May, 2007 NIH SIG BCIG Book Club Berkeley AB, Biochemistry. Psychology, Philosophy minors PhD U Iowa, Biology, Physiology, Molecular Parasitology Postdocs: NIH Notre Dame; NSF TAMU; NRC CDC 1987-1999- Faculty, UIUC, Purdue, IN U Sch Med 1995-1999- Editor, BioPlatform, Inc.; 1999, Director, Exponential Therapeutics, Inc. 2000-2007- NIH Extramural Review, NIH Hobbies: Reading, philosophy

Summary, Chapter 29 Rediscovering Vienna via Stockholm; Chapter 30 Learning from Memory: Prospects: 

Summary, Chapter 29 Rediscovering Vienna via Stockholm; Chapter 30 Learning from Memory: Prospects Rediscovering Vienna via Stockholm -Yom Kippur 2000 Karolinska Nobel phone, fall 2000 honors, ceremonies, invitations including to Vienna -Confronted Austria’s anti-Semitism, organized 2004 Symposium Learning from Memory: Prospects -US flat hierarchy; respect for rigorous biosciences; merger of molecular and cell biology and neurosciencs -Strategy of best system and reductionistic power x-species worked for Kandel; counter to current systems/direct ‘omics studies? -Future: Networks will connect neuroscience and sociology (spouse Denise’s specialty) -

Chapter 29: Rediscovering Vienna Via Stockholm: 

Chapter 29: Rediscovering Vienna Via Stockholm Yom Kippur 2000 Nobel AM call. Family, Colleagues and high-level networking; gratitude to lab and colleagues Alfred Nobel story; Sweden, France, Italy; 300 patents, dynamite fortune, globalist Stockholm Grand Hotel, Great Synagogue Nobel Prize from King Gustaf Stockholm Concert Hall. Signal Transduction in Nervous System

Chapter 29 Nobel Continued: 

Chapter 29 Nobel Continued Arvid Carlsson – Dopamine release, L-DOPA, Parkinson’s partial treatment Paul Greengard – Second messenger, phosphorylation activation of kinases Eric Kandel – Second messengers and synapse protein receptor activities to establish short and long term memory Banquet, honors, lectures Stockholm and Uppsala and elsewhere

Post-Nobel: 

Post-Nobel Austria president Thomas Klestil called; Kandel requested and was approved for (with delays) a 2004 Symposium contrasting Austria and Germany responses to Hitler period (denial vs honest dealing) Eichman et al, death camp organizers, were Austrian. Austria welcomed Hitler and maintains a taboo and silence Kandel in 1989 had lectured about anger in Vienna with less stature, no positive response Freud, Mahler, Kraus et al, all Vienna culture Jewish Lichtenberger scorned; Zielinger sympathized; current span of Austrian attitudes (ignore, apology) Looked at apartment left 65 years before, didn’t enter

Chapter 30: Learning from Memory: Prospects: 

Chapter 30: Learning from Memory: Prospects Praised US flat hierarchy, increasing respect for biosciences, merger of disciplines such as molecular and cell biology and neurobiology Strategy of simple system and reductionistic x-species worked for Kandel. Aplysia choice remains useful to correlate with increasing direct system and ‘omics studies. Networks and interdisciplinary approaches will connect neuroscience and sociology (Denise’s specialty) Kandel still considers the psychoanalysis experience positive, ignores selective/decline in Freudian influence; emphasizes happiness, art… CREB in this 2006 autobiography is described as Kandel’s central discovery, yet not mentioned in Nobel; adjusting to current best guess?

Follow-Ups, Prion Lead?Lindquist (MIT) hypothesizes many roles for prion-like conformation shifts: 

Follow-Ups, Prion Lead? Lindquist (MIT) hypothesizes many roles for prion-like conformation shifts Si, K., Lindquist, S., Kandel, E.R. (2003). A Neuronal Isoform of the Aplysia CPEB Has Prion-Like Properties. Cell 115:879-91 Shorter, J. and Lindquist, S.L. (2005). Prions as adaptive conduits of memory and inheritance. Nat. Rev. Genet. 6: 435-50 Kandel’s own lab; pursuing Denise’s sociology network relations? Company?

Perspective on Kandel’s Scientific Work: 

Perspective on Kandel’s Scientific Work Reinforced neuronal circuit connections remain the main hypothesized mechanism of learning and memory Nobel rationale? Carlsson serotonin/Prozac family and others is Nobel-level itself? Greengard cell biology also? Kandel less clear role in Nobel-cited research, and in book, prion-like CREF later discovery seems emphasized? Is as Kandel postulates memory permanent, vs memories of memories reinforced? Has he gained real insights about consciousness, another difficult goal? Bodies of work and themes remain impressive and worthy; Nobel sometimes like a lifetime Academy Award and in that light Kandel is deserving

Critique of Kandel’s Confrontation of Austrian Anti-Semitism: 

Critique of Kandel’s Confrontation of Austrian Anti-Semitism Scornful of Austrian scientist host (no significant research) and later Symposium sociologist (cultural rationale) Negative about any but Jewish contributions to Vienna Desires apologies, reparation Few non-science citations or quotes are offered Kandel’s confrontation contrasts with Victor Frankel’s logotherapy (decent and non-decent people everywhere). Which is more successful?

Synaptic Pharmaceuticals: 

Synaptic Pharmaceuticals Kandel co-founded late ’80’s, 1992 took public, mentioned Columbia support for biotechnology Patents include ’97 Neuropeptide Y receptor, however, leptin-related claims disputed 2000 emphasized Universal Functional Assay drug target identification Merged with Lundbeck Research 2003 Now offers contract research, G protein coupled receptors

Memory Pharmaceuticals: 

Memory Pharmaceuticals ’96 co-founded, 2004 went public as MEMY (no comment, founder position). Stock at $10 in 2004, $2 in 2007. L-Ca Channel (Phase 2a) (Alzheimer) Nicotinic alpha-7 agonists (Roche) PDE4 Inhibitors (Roche) PDE10 Inhibitors (Amgen)

Summary, Chapter 29 Rediscovering Vienna via Stockholm; Chapter 30 Learning from Memory: Prospects: 

Summary, Chapter 29 Rediscovering Vienna via Stockholm; Chapter 30 Learning from Memory: Prospects Rediscovering Vienna via Stockholm -Yom Kippur 2000 Karolinska Nobel phone, fall 2000 honors, ceremonies, invitations including to Vienna -Confronted Austria’s anti-Semitism, organized 2004 Symposium Learning from Memory: Prospects -US flat hierarchy; respect for rigorous biosciences; merger of molecular and cell biology and neurosciencs -Strategy of best system and reductionistic power x-species worked for Kandel; counter to current systems/direct ‘omics studies? -Future: Networks will connect neuroscience and sociology (spouse Denise’s specialty)

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