The prevailing structures of personal reputation and career advancement mean the biggest rewards often follow the flashiest work, not the best.

I got into science because I thought that, with inspiration and hard work, I could figure out how life works.

The idea that I could push the envelope using dedication and research and endless curiosity has propelled me in my life's work.

When I was a postdoc, I jotted every fresh thought on a three-by-five card and kept them in a card catalogue.

The night before the Nobel announcement every year, I've gone to bed feeling quite anxious. I was optimistic, and also I knew it might never happen.

Everything I did in high school was focused on microbiology, looking at things like algae under a microscope for hours on end. When I was 13, I saved up $100 to buy a good used microscope. I was obsessed with microorganisms.