5 ms·

Neuroscientist Ben Barres has died

95 points by alexholehouse 9y ago

melling 9y ago
“died on Dec. 27, 20 months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.” A form of cancer where we have made almost zero progress. What’s it going to take to get more research? It has already been 10 years: https://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/ https://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/
- hprotagonist 9y ago
  it’s not like people aren’t trying. it’s just a real bastard of a disease.
  - melling 9y ago
    I didn’t say people weren’t trying. I was asking for more research. Pancreatic cancer is not generously funded. Most would argue that it’s underfunded. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/cancer-funding-does-it-add-up/ https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/cancer-funding-doe... https://www.cancer.org/research/currently-funded-cancer-research/grants-by-cancer-type.html https://www.cancer.org/research/currently-funded-cancer-rese...
    - gone35 9y ago
      It's not just funding. For one, the dynamics of the known molecular pathways involved are complex [1], and so far non-trivial to manipulate. Furthermore, even with an actionable mechanism, targeting the tumor itself is highly non-trivial, due to physiology alone. (See e.g. [2]). [1] http://www.jcancer.org/v07p1497.htm http://www.jcancer.org/v07p1497.htm [2] http://www.nature.com/articles/nrclinonc.2016.119 http://www.nature.com/articles/nrclinonc.2016.119
- Gatsky 9y ago
  It's a difficult problem etc etc The real answer is that the life sciences are currently in a medieval phase. It's like doing physics without algebra or calculus. We should certainly not expect any regular progress. It is extraordinarily inefficient.
  - pvaldes 9y ago
    I understand what you are trying to say. Yes. This is a sort of a dark age for all science related. A few well supported islands in an ocean of hostile politics
- ekianjo 9y ago
  Problem is also that it is not easy to diagnose in early stages, so you end up with most patients diagnosed in stage 4.
davidkuhta 9y ago
> “If you took the Barres lab out of the field of glial studies, there would be no field,” Raff said. The highest of compliments. RIP
- QAPereo 9y ago
  Prior to his insights, glia were just thought to be little more than structural support and insulation for neurons. The truth of course is so much more interesting. Baruch dayan emet.
leemailll 9y ago
The best know transgender scientist
GuiA 9y ago
I quit academia, frustrated at how bureaucratic it was and how impossible it seemed to become a Great Scientist. Very inspiring to read about the lives of those who make it against all odds. May the work and memory of Ben Barres carry the next generations of scientists.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
jdpigeon 9y ago
In addition to being an incredibly productive, paradigm-shifting scientist, Dr. Barres was also honest and down to earth about the realities of the field. I'd recommend anyone going in to any type of graduate study to read his essay on how to choose na graduate advisor: http://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(13)00907-0 http://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(13)00907-0
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
Edzus124 9y ago
Draudzīgākais Kredīts uzņēmumiem tava biznesa izaugsmei https://www.cityfinances.lv/kredits-uznemumiem/ https://www.cityfinances.lv/kredits-uznemumiem/
Davisss 9y ago
Draudzīgākais Kredīts uzņēmumiem tava biznesa izaugsmei https://www.cityfinances.lv/kredits-uznemumiem/ https://www.cityfinances.lv/kredits-uznemumiem/

95 points by alexholehouse 9y ago

“died on Dec. 27, 20 months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was 63.” A form of cancer where we have made almost zero progress. What’s it going to take to get more research? It has already been 10 years: https://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/ https://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/

hprotagonist 9y ago
it’s not like people aren’t trying. it’s just a real bastard of a disease.
- melling 9y ago
  I didn’t say people weren’t trying. I was asking for more research. Pancreatic cancer is not generously funded. Most would argue that it’s underfunded. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/cancer-funding-does-it-add-up/ https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/cancer-funding-doe... https://www.cancer.org/research/currently-funded-cancer-research/grants-by-cancer-type.html https://www.cancer.org/research/currently-funded-cancer-rese...
  - gone35 9y ago
    It's not just funding. For one, the dynamics of the known molecular pathways involved are complex [1], and so far non-trivial to manipulate. Furthermore, even with an actionable mechanism, targeting the tumor itself is highly non-trivial, due to physiology alone. (See e.g. [2]). [1] http://www.jcancer.org/v07p1497.htm http://www.jcancer.org/v07p1497.htm [2] http://www.nature.com/articles/nrclinonc.2016.119 http://www.nature.com/articles/nrclinonc.2016.119
Gatsky 9y ago
It's a difficult problem etc etc The real answer is that the life sciences are currently in a medieval phase. It's like doing physics without algebra or calculus. We should certainly not expect any regular progress. It is extraordinarily inefficient.
- pvaldes 9y ago
  I understand what you are trying to say. Yes. This is a sort of a dark age for all science related. A few well supported islands in an ocean of hostile politics
ekianjo 9y ago
Problem is also that it is not easy to diagnose in early stages, so you end up with most patients diagnosed in stage 4.

davidkuhta 9y ago

> “If you took the Barres lab out of the field of glial studies, there would be no field,” Raff said. The highest of compliments. RIP

QAPereo 9y ago
Prior to his insights, glia were just thought to be little more than structural support and insulation for neurons. The truth of course is so much more interesting. Baruch dayan emet.

leemailll 9y ago

The best know transgender scientist

GuiA 9y ago

I quit academia, frustrated at how bureaucratic it was and how impossible it seemed to become a Great Scientist. Very inspiring to read about the lives of those who make it against all odds. May the work and memory of Ben Barres carry the next generations of scientists.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

jdpigeon 9y ago

In addition to being an incredibly productive, paradigm-shifting scientist, Dr. Barres was also honest and down to earth about the realities of the field. I'd recommend anyone going in to any type of graduate study to read his essay on how to choose na graduate advisor: http://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(13)00907-0 http://www.cell.com/neuron/abstract/S0896-6273(13)00907-0

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

Edzus124 9y ago

Draudzīgākais Kredīts uzņēmumiem tava biznesa izaugsmei https://www.cityfinances.lv/kredits-uznemumiem/ https://www.cityfinances.lv/kredits-uznemumiem/

Davisss 9y ago

Draudzīgākais Kredīts uzņēmumiem tava biznesa izaugsmei https://www.cityfinances.lv/kredits-uznemumiem/ https://www.cityfinances.lv/kredits-uznemumiem/