With the Help of Giants

Abstract

A childhood fascination with animals, plants, and insects was aided and abetted by many giants, beginning with my parents. The Bronx High School of Science and the City College of New York (CCNY) made a solid and priceless grounding in chemistry and biology available free of charge. Abe Mazur at CCNY revealed the wonders of biochemistry and illustrated that it was possible to pursue these wonders while being paid to do so. He also directed me to Duke University Medical School for PhD work under the tutelage of Phil Handler. With the exception of a sabbatical year at Harvard with Frank Westheimer, my entire career has been spent at Duke serving under three fine and supportive chairmen: Handler, Hill, and Raetz. The premier discoveries to emanate from my laboratory have been the sulfite oxidase, the several superoxide dismutases, the manganese catalase, and the catalase/peroxidase. Many other topics piqued my interest and resulted in ∼ 400 publications. Herein I have recounted some of the circumstances surrounding that work and named a few of the people involved. The first 20 years I worked happily at the bench and the next 35 years just as happily facilitating the work of younger people. It has been so rewarding that I wish for nothing more than to be allowed to keep at it.