When Dr. Tamir Gonen was working to develop microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED), his greatest challenge was “convincing the scientific community that [it] really does work.” This powerful method utilizes samples a billionth the size of what’s normally required, enabling him to generate subatomic-resolution images to discern the structure of proteins and open the door to the potential development of new therapies for such diverse diseases as cataracts, diabetes and Parkinson’s.
Dr. Gonen steps into the U Magazine spotlight
Illustration by Colleen O’Hara
When did you first start to think seriously about science?
When Dr. Tamir Gonen was working to develop microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED), his greatest challenge was “convincing the scientific community that [it] really does work.” This powerful method utilizes samples a billionth the size of what’s normally required, enabling him to generate subatomic-resolution images to discern the structure of proteins and open the door to the potential development of new therapies for such diverse diseases as cataracts, diabetes and Parkinson’s.
What was your first science experiment?
One day, when I was a kid, there was a cockroach in my room on its back. I wondered what would happen if I ran electricity through this thing. I had a simple nine-volt battery and I fashioned some electrodes, and I found that, depending on where you put the electrodes, you could move different legs, and that fascinated me.
Who is your science hero?
Michael Rossmann [professor of biological sciences at Purdue University]. Michael was there from the very start of structural biology. He was responsible for some of the most important developments in the field, and he moved freely between different approaches to doing things. He had such an open mind.
Where are you happiest?
I find that disconnecting from the world is quite nice, and the only way to actually do it is on a cruise ship, where you are completely out of reach. So, I guess I’m happiest somewhere in the middle of the ocean.
What do you consider to be your finest achievement?
My finest achievement is creating a welcoming and supportive environment in my lab. Most of my past trainees are now tenure-track assistant professors at top universities in the U.S., and this
I consider to be a real legacy.
What are the qualities of a great scientist?
To keep an open mind and to really follow your nose. Having said that, it is possible to find yourself going down a pretty deep rabbit hole, and so another very important quality for a scientist is to know when to stop.
To read a fuller transcript of his responses to these and other questions, click on the link to this article at:
What is your motto?
I don’t have one, but if I did, I would say it is follow your nose and keep an open mind.
When don’t you think about science?
When I’m on a cruise. That’s the only time. It is very, very difficult to turn science off.
If not a scientist, what would you be?
I think I would have been a chef. I quite enjoy cooking. I think my approach to cooking is more like a biochemistry experiment — plus or minus 10 percent of this or that, and it’s usually OK.
What’s your most treasured possession?
My Aria Pro II electric guitar that I bought when I was 16 years old and on which I taught myself to play. I have been carrying it around with me across four continents.
What keeps you up at night?
Now that we have clearly demonstrated that MicroED is a very powerful method, I see my job as trying to come up with a bigger picture and trying to project my vision for this lab and for this field that we started over the next five-to-10 years. I have a lot of sleepless nights thinking about that.
What has been your greatest challenge?
Convincing the scientific community that MicroED really does work. Many of my scientific colleagues had tried to do something similar for decades, but, for whatever reasons, they couldn’t get it to work. We were able to figure out how to do it, but there was 20 or 30 years worth of negative literature that we had to work against.
What is your definition of happiness?
Being able to pursue the science that most excites you at any moment, without funding constraints.
What is your definition of misery?
Not being able to get a really good cup of coffee readily — that is misery. I think the coffee is, in general, quite awful here. When we lived in Seattle, we became coffee snobs because coffee was amazing there. And then we come to L.A., and most places sell what I call gasoline.
What music do you listen to while you work?
Anything from very mellow elevator music playing in the background if I need to focus on something to, if I don’t really need to focus, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath — something very loud.
Dr. Gonen’s responses have been edited for length and clarity. To read a fuller transcript of his responses to these and other questions, click on the link to this article at: uclahealth.org/u-magazine
