No Dream Too Big

On 6^th July, 2022 at around 10 a.m. I was pondering over a problem faced by my new graduate student, I had a call from a person who told me that that he was Prof. Lorentz from Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and he was very happy to share that I had shared this year noble prize with Prof. Brendon. At first I thought it was a joke. I had just finished my Post Doc. from Molecular Foundry, Berkeley Lab and had started as my career as Assistant Professor at UCI, University of California. I know my Post-doctoral work was a major breakthrough but had not thought to receive this award so soon.

Today is 10^th December, 2022. I have just grand reception by his highness King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden with fellow Nobel Laureates in Stockholm. I have received the Nobel Prize Medal, Nobel Prize Diploma and document confirming the Nobel Prize amount from the King. My whole nation and my family feel proud. My proud parents have become numb. Their joy was boundless. A son of lower middle class has garnered this highest laurel. We have moved to the banquet at the Stockholm City Hall (Stockholms Stadshus) where I have to deliver a speech. I feel humbled to give speech in front of around 1300 audience. It was my turn to say something.

"His Majesty King of Sweden and her highness Queen of Sweden, Fellow Nobel Laureates, dear students,

I feel humbled to in midst of you. It has been a divine day for me to be honoured with the highest glory one can achieve in the worship of science. My family and whole nation thank you for bestowing such a grace. I feel elated and being selected for this prize as such early in my career. People in my country believe that this prize is for old, white haired senile scientists.

I have been through a very modest family where we have been taught no dream to big. I have been always encouraged in my endeavour. My brother and sister have always been my strength. I think they feel more proud than I do. I am thankful to my teachers at Narendrapur, Ramkrishna Mission Vidyalaya, and faculty at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata and Professor Rosenmellor of MIT, Boston and Prof. Brendon at Molecular Foundry for nourishing my inclination towards science. I have to work harder now to pay their liabilities.

Sincerely, I have not been so bright student. In my second year of college when I had set goal in my life that I have to be a scientist in the field of Cancer Research. I became more prone towards observation. I tried to improve my observation via photography, writing about imageries, meditations. I tried to learn thinking as if I had to teach it the next day and the whole thing changed. My confidence increased by diligently working in labs. I tried to garner more and more knowledge. I transformed pedantic to hedonistic approach in gaining knowledge. Thus I gained belief in myself and here I am.

Now I shall come to discuss the research topic which has landed me this prestigious prize. In childhood like I thought that cancer was a deadly disease that is some kind of virus. Gradually I understood it was effect of unsocial behaviour of the cells. I had natural inclination towards this subject. While doing PhD in MIT I got exposure to cutting edge research going on to curb this disease. I had some idea. I shared with Prof. Brendon whom I had shared this prize. We chalked out a plan to stop ras oncogene. Conventional drug is targeted to attach to receptors of the cancer cells and then it is killed by chemotherapy. But we designed a drug which would attach to the surface and by evoking the receptor in such a manner that it will confuse ras to perform multiple tasks. As ras do not only activate this cascade but it has several uses also. By confusing we can lead to apoptosis of the cell. Thus we can save the patient from the drastic health conditions triggered by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Initially we were impeded but eventually we got success. Soon we are releasing drugs for clinical trials. Hopefully it comes quickly and serves the purpose. It will be boon for specially people of our land.

I would like thank to all my colleges who have helped me in this endeavour. I would like to especially my big brother and sister who have served as guiding light to me. Lastly I will like to thank my wife who always felt ignored due to my immense pressure of work and had to quit her job to maintain the household. Hope that this prize is worth your all sacrifices.

Author's Commentary: All the names are fictional. This post is a gift from me to my parent's on their marriage anniversary.

Hope you all will shower blessings to realize this dream.

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