Question: Have you ever discovered something completely extraordinary from your own personal research that has led to other discoveries resulting in a new theory?

Judith Sleeman answered on 18 Jun 2012:

I wish!!

I did make a small contribution to finding out in what part of the nucleus the cell makes things called ‘snRNP (snurp) splicing factors’ that are needed for gene expression. But the original idea was already out there, and someone else found the final proof. Plus I think the subject is really a lot more complicated than we thought at the time.

Very few people are brilliant or lucky enough to make really big discoveries. Even if you do, things don’t always come up roses. Douglas Prasher was the first person to clone a gene from jellyfish that makes them glow green in the dark. It’s called green fluorescent protein (GFP) and has been one of the most exciting new cell biology research tools of the last couple of decades. But Dr Prasher ended up driving a shuttle bus for a hotel while the 2008 Nobel prize went to scientists who had worked on GFP later. I just checked my facts on wikipedia, though, and was very pleased to read that he has now returned to science. Hope it’s true: you can’t always believe what you read online!!