Srinagar: Nobel laureate Sir Tim Hunt today said any scientist can win a Nobel Prize if he or she is ready to work hard and persevere with research in the chosen field of study.
“Anyone can win the Nobel Prize if the scientist works hard on his research subject,” Hunt told young students, research scholars and faculty members at Kashmir University here.
The Nobel laureate, however, said luck also played an important part during the process of research, saying how he discovered ‘Cyclin’ — which won him the coveted Prize — by luck.
“I did not know that I can win the Nobel Prize,” Hunt said in response to a question by a 12th standard student.
Hunt was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Leland Hartwell and Sir Paul Nurse in 2001 for their discoveries regarding cell cycle regulation by Cyclin and Cyclin-dependent kinases.
Sharing the experiences during the discovery of Cyclin, Hunt said the gel-like protein was discovered when an experiment over ran its stipulated duration.
“The experiment over ran its duration and we found some gel-like substance. I was sure that it was the thing I was looking for,” he said. Hunt said he discussed the result of his experiment with leading experts in the field but all of them were sceptical about the substance being Cylin.
“We repeated the experiment over and over again and got the same results,” he added.
Hunt was in Kashmir to attend the seventh edition of Young Investigators’ Meeting which brought together reputed Indian and international scientists.
The five-day meeting saw 15 world renowned biologists, 20 Directors from Institutes across India and five representatives from major funding agencies who interacted with about 40 young scientists and 40 post-doctoral research scholars.
The main events at the meeting were intense panel discussions and breakaway sessions focusing on science and careers in science between an eclectic mix of best life- science researchers.
M Ahmad Shah, coordinator of the meeting, said the presence of top scientists, including Hunt, would give fillip to scientific research activities in Jammu and Kashmir in general and KU in particular.
“The participation of such eminent scientists will definitely lead to more focus on research and we are hopeful of getting results of these activities in coming times,” Shah said (PTI)
