Scientific Publishing Excitement Of Discovery, The: Selected Papers Of Alexander Rich - A Tribute To Alexander Rich (Series in Structural Biology): 11

This book is intended for students and general readers who are interested in the structures of biological molecules and history of science. The center of gravity of Alexander Rich's work is on nucleic acids and their structures and their roles in biology, but the breadth of his work is nearly unparalleled. Alex Rich published important early discoveries on the structure and activity of RNA, information transfer (translation) from RNA to protein, the structure of ribosomes with insights into polyribosome functions, the first atomic-resolution structure of nucleic acid base pairings, and the discovery of a hitherto-unknown conformation of DNA. Many of Rich's articles also have a focus on the structure of proteins in general as well as specific proteins and some are concerned with the structure of viruses. Some of Rich's early experimental work is based on scattering of X-rays from fibers but X-ray diffraction from crystals became the dominating technique of the Cold War.This is a book full of rich history of early days of modern biology and many fundamental discoveries. Alex Rich's main focus throughout his long career was on nucleic acids. His first paper on nucleic acids, was published together with JD Watson. Two years later, Rich reported creating fibers of poly-Uracil and poly-Adenine and studied their structures by diffraction.Alex Rich's laboratory determined the high resolution crystal structures of the ApU and GpC fragments of double helical RNA from Rich's group is considered a landmark in the detailed understanding of nucleic acid structure. Review This book brings back memories of the great Alex Rich, a pioneer in molecular biology. He was friend, a mentor and a colleague who contributed greatly to the understanding of living processes and molecular structures.--David Baltimore, 1975 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or MedicineAlex Rich was a wonderful human being and one of the greatest scientists of our time. This book is a wonderful collection of his papers, photos and memories of this remarkable man. --Robert Langer, MIT Institute ProfessorMeeting, speaking with Alex Rich gave indeed a deep feeling of the Excitement of Discovery! This book is a testimony giving the opportunity to discover with excitement a great scientist, a warm human being and a true citizen.--Jean-Marie Lehn, 1987 Nobel Laureate in ChemistryOccasionally remarkable leaders appear that transform science and society by their intellect and spirit. Alex Rich was such a man and this book records his story. --Phillip A Sharp, 1993 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or MedicineAlex Rich's pioneering explorations of the world of RNA were (and still are!) an inspiration to the generations of scientists who have followed him.--Jack Szostak, 2009 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or MedicineAlex Rich was a great scientist with unprecedented desire to learn and explore. He left behind treasures, including a wonderful collection of his publications and photos, some of which can serve as guidelines for the performance of superb research. I have fond memories of him. I met him first when I started my graduate studies. My project was to challenge Alex's model for collagen and to compare it to the one, which was suggested by the giant G.N. Ramachandran. Notably, despite the potential conflict Alex encouraged me to perform top quality science. Later on, l verified the existence of the nascent protein ribosomal exit path, which was suggested by him almost 2 decades earlier, and until re-discovered by us, was widely criticized.In all of our interactions Alex was highly supportive and provided valuable advice. He was always exciting and encouraging. For me he was a source of excitement. --Ada Yonath, 2009 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry