Prof. Dr. Bjorn Reino Olsen

1. Prof. Dr. Bjorn Reino Olsen Dean for Research and Professor of Developmental Biology; Hersey Professor of Cell Biology Harvard School of Dental Medicine

2. Neden Dr. Olsen? • Dünyacatanınmışbirbilimadamı. • Yayınlarına tıp fakültesiöğrencisiykenyapmayabaşlamıştır(sizin de yapacağınızgibi). • SCI kapsamında 339 taneyayınıvar (sunumyapıldığızamankisayı) • Hocamınhocasıolduğuiçin

3. Dr. Olsen Dr. Çilek Dr. Hirohata Dr. Ninomiya 01.01.1949 – 28.02.2014

7. How a student’s interest in science developed into a life-long passion for discovery Skien, Norway 1957 Jerusalem, Israel 2011

8. What did I do in high school? I read a lot of novels (by Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Russian, German, American, English and French writers). We were learning English, German and French and had to read Swedish and Danish Knowing English and German when I started as a medical student was extremely helpful because all our textbooks were in German or English!

9. I read a lot of history, books about philosophy, psychology, developmental biology, human evolution and the great discoveries in medicine, surgery and microbiology. I was VERY interested in astronomy, physics and mathematics

10. The interest in physics stimulated me to try to read Niels Bohr (1913) On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules, Philosophical Magazine 26, 1-24. Niels Bohr (1913) On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules. Part II.– Systems containing only a Single Nucleus. Philosophical Magazine 26, 476-502. Niels Bohr (1913) On the Constitution of Atoms and Molecules. Part III.–Systems containing Several Nuclei. Philosophical Magazine 26, 857-875. Bohr received the Nobel Prize for physics in 1922

11. Important discoveries were made 100 years ago! Luckily, our high school was a century-old Latin School and had copies of the journal in which Bohr published these papers

12. I read Einstein’s paper on Special Relativity: Albert Einstein (1905) ZurElektrodynamikbewegterKörper. Annalen der Physik 322, 891-921 It was not that difficult and I knew enough German to be able to read it. The General Relativity theory, Albert Einstein (1916) Die Grundlage der allgemeinenRelativitätstheorie. Annalen der Physik 354, 769-822 required advanced mathematics so I decided to take math courses as a medical student and then read the paper.

13. What is the lesson in this? To get onto a path of research and discovery, cultivate your curiosity; seek intellectual challenges; seek knowledge at many levels; seek understanding, not just information

14. At the University of Oslo as a medical student

15. Medical School Curriculum Part I: Basic Sciences – 2.5 years Part II: Clinical Sciences – 3.5 years I fell in love with anatomy and cell biology

16. and met some remarkable Professors at the Anatomical Institute Torgersen (evolutionary anthropology) Brodal (neuroanatomy, Chair of the Norwegian Research Council) Jansen (neuroanatomy, Chairman of the Anatomical Institute)

17. I broke with tradition after Part I I took a 2-year break from medical school to do research (a student research program was started by Professor Brodal). I decided to work on a project atthe Anatomical Institute and take courses in chemistry, physics, and mathematics (so that I could read Einstein’s paper on general relativity)

18. This was one of the most important decisions of my life

19. What is the lesson in this? Follow your strongest interests Do not be afraid to break with tradition

20. A difficult choice The “good” part: Anatomical Institute had an electron microscope for studying molecular structure The “bad” part: Everybody was doing brain anatomy The “ugly” choice: If I wanted an Advisor I had to work on the brain If I chose to study molecules I had to work alone I decided to work alone

21. I decided to work on the structure, synthesis and function of collagen, a protein that is essential for the existence of multicellular organisms as a component of the extracellular matrix I wanted to use electron microscopy (EM), because------

22. With the EM I could see collagen molecules! Siemens EM Collagen molecule

23. And I could see how molecules formed fibrils! I made discoveries!

24. 3100Å ATP 10Å = 1nanometer

26. I started to publish papers! Bjorn R. Olsen (1963) Electron Microscope Studies on Collagen I. Native Collagen Fibrils. Zeitsch. f. Zellforsch. 59, 184-198. Bjorn R. Olsen (1963) Electron Microscope Studies on Collagen II. Mechanism of linear Polymerization of Tropocollagen Molecules. Zeitsch. f. Zellforsch. 59, 199-213. Bjorn R. Olsen (1964) Electron Microscope Studies on Collagen III. Tryptic Digestion of Tropocollagen Macromolecules. Zeitsch. f. Zellforsch. 61, 913-919.

27. The EM Lab, directed by T. Blackstad, was a remarkable place It gave me, a student, not only the freedom to succeed in science on my own, but also to learn from my own failed experiments

28. To purify proteins I had to start my own little biochemistry laboratory Columns for purifying collagen molecules My home-made fraction collector

29. My fraction collector named “TRULTE” “TRULTE” in Norway

30. What is the lesson in this? Trust your problem solving ability Use your creativity to overcome obstacles Start modestly, but aim at asking important questions

31. What happened next? 1967: Graduation from Medical School Defense of PhD dissertation Appointment as Assistant Professor at University of Oslo 1971: Promotion to Associate Professor at University of Oslo I decided I needed to be trained better! Where?

32. A perfect match Prockop’s laboratory in USA used biochemical methods to study how cells make collagen I could use electron microscopy to study how cells make it We found that cells do not make collagen molecules; they make a larger precursor protein – procollagen – which is “trimmed” to collagen

33. What is the lesson in this? Get as good a scientific training as possible Find an exciting training environment You found the right place if you cannot wait to get to the lab in the morning and find it difficult to leave at night

34. New collagen types were discovered through the work of outstanding postdocs and students Tomoatsu Kimura Hiroshi Konomi The Ninomiya family!

35. More opportunities at Harvard Boston 1985 Fawcett Hay Olsen Ninomiya Muragaki Nishimura Suk Paul Oh

36. Research continued to be exciting and fun! Discoveries of new collagens, mutations causing cartilage, bone and blood vessel disorders

37. Scientific progress depends on the achievements of individuals but it also requires collaboration, open communication and teamwork

38. Communication through meetings Gordon Research Conference on Collagen 1995

39. Teacher and trainee

40. A scientist who wants to make a • lasting contribution must • strive to make important discoveries and • train the future generations of • scientists

41. Doing research and training future generations of scientists It is like starting rings in water and seeing how they grow

42. And the rings can spread far April 2011

43. Final lessons Scientific enquiry – – “begins as a story about a Possible World – a story which we invent and criticize and modify as we go along, so that it ends by being, as nearly as we can make it, a story about real life.” “– any scientist of any age who wants to make important discoveries must study important problems. – – – A problem must be such that it matters what the answer is – whether to science generally or to mankind.” Medawar, PB (1979) Advice to a Young Scientist. Human Action Wisely Undertaken. Harper & Row, New York.

44. The “Olsen” rules: (1) Do not be afraid of choosing big, challenging problems – why waste time and efforts on minor questions? (2) Think strategically – break big problems into a series of smaller steps, but stay focused on the big, distant goals. (3) Do not be so afraid of having ideas “stolen” as to prevent exchange of ideas and collaborations.

45. Thank you !