Never Become Discouraged

Nobel Prize in Medicine/Physiology 1990

E. Donnall Thomas was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine/Physiology for his discoveries concerning bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of human disease. He was nicknamed "Doc" before he was even old enough to be one. The son of a country doctor, E. Donnall accompanied his father on house calls and frequently assisted him on minor surgeries and other treatments. These experiences convinced him to pursue a career in medicine.

The young Donnall graduated from a small, rural high school. Then he attended college at the big, city-like campus of the University of Texas. He adjusted well to the hard work and the competition, earning a Master's degree in chemical engineering.

Donnall began his work on bone marrow transplantation and leukemia when he entered Harvard Medical School. He performed studies on bone marrow transplants at a time when others in the medical community considered such a procedure very risky, if not impossible. Other scientists became discouraged with their failed attempts at bone marrow transplantation and abandoned the procedure. But Dr. Thomas refused to give up his belief that these transplants could be mastered and could save many lives.

After much hard work he performed the procedure successfully. Today it is widely used to treat cancer patients. Dr. Thomas notes however, that it was only after bone marrow transplantation showed promise in animals, first rodents then dogs, that researchers could apply the operations to humans.

"What many people do not understand is that animal research can also benefit the very animals participating in the studies," says Dr. Thomas. "Just as in your doctor's office, if you go into a veterinarian's office or hospital you will find the same drugs and technologies developed through animal research."

Adapted from Curiosity is the Key to Discovery: The Story of How Nobel Laureates Entered the World of Science, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1992

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