VOA标准英语2010年-Cell Biologist Elaine Fuchs: Revolutio

Faiza Elmasry | Washington, DC 29 March 2010

Cell biologist Elaine Fuchs is known for revolutionizing the study of skin and for her support of women in science.

Children, Elaine Fuchs says, have a natural fascination¹ with science. She remembers that she did.

"I think like many of the children in our world, I got interested in science just from having a butterfly net and from having a few strainers and some boots and going down to the streams and creeks² and being out in the fields," says Fuchs.

Her childhood fascination with science grew with her. She moved from butterflies to biochemistry, and her research over the past three decades has revolutionized the study of skin and skin diseases.

The Rockefeller University
Elaine Fuchs encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in science.

Working at the leading edge of research on cellular³ biology and genetic⁵ skin disorders⁶, Fuchs was the first to precisely⁷ describe keratins — the principal structural⁸ proteins of skin cells — and identify diseases caused by mutations in the keratin gene⁴. At The Rockefeller University in New York, she is currently studying how skin forms from precursor⁹ stem cells, looking for clues that could help researchers understand how defective¹⁰ stem cells can cause cancers and other disorders.

Fuchs is proud that her research and teaching have blazed trails.

"I'd have to say that equally on both sides of the coin, my successes with regards to my science are the discovery of the genetic basis of a number of different human skin diseases, using very unconventional approaches, which are now [the accepted] approaches in medical textbooks, but at the time, they were very unconventional," she says. "On the other side of the coin, I would say I'm very proud of the many different students that I have trained who are now university professors themselves."

In addition to her research and teaching, Fuchs serves as president of the American Society for Cell Biology, and is president-elect of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.

In recognition of her contributions, Fuchs has received numerous awards. Last year, President Barack Obama presented her with the National Medal of Science. This year, she was named one of the laureates for the L'Oreal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science.

"It's certainly an honor. It's one of the most prestigious¹¹ awards not only just for women but really the most prestigious awards in science around the world," she says. "It's also a wonderful concept to reward a woman from each of the five major regional areas in which science is being conducted around the world, in a celebration of not only women in science, but also the importance of science in a world community."

When Elaine Fuchs began her undergraduate studies, there were very few women in the sciences, and their work was rarely encouraged or recognized. Fuchs credits the strong female role models in her life for inspiring and supporting her scientific career.

"My aunt was a biologist. She was a very strong feminist¹², very much integral in the women's organizations that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s in the United States," she says.

Her mother also played a pivotal role. "I'd have to say my mother was one of the most instrumental people in my life," says Fuchs. "She was a housewife but she took pride in everything that she did. She encouraged my sister and I in all different ways. My mom always said, 'You're a good cook, you'll make a fine scientist,' when I told her that I like science. So I think those kinds of little things maybe are more important that any of the bigger things."

Now, as a role model herself, Fuchs is reaching out to girls and young women, encouraging them to pursue careers in science.

"This past year, I was a visiting scholar for the Phi Beta Kappa Society and went to small liberal arts colleges in the United States, and not only gave public lectures about science, but also research lectures, and then also spoke¹³ with women about the importance of bringing their intellectual force, which is formidable, to the scientific arena¹⁴ in the future."

When she talks to young women, Fuchs tells them that many opportunities await them in the science fields. She also dispels¹⁵ misconceptions about being a scientist.

"The notion that a scientist is some weird¹⁶ person who sits in the corner working at their laboratory bench, never talking to anybody, couldn't be further from the truth," she says. "Science is such an interactive¹⁷ and collaborative area. It's an incredibly social environment that really constitutes the breakthroughs."

Professor and researcher Elaine Fuchs says it's incredibly rewarding to work in scientific research. She finds it exciting to make discoveries and find new ways to solve scientific challenges.

She says it's also gratifying to be able to make a difference.
 

1 fascination   

n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋

参考例句：

• He had a deep fascination with all forms of transport.他对所有的运输工具都很着迷。
• His letters have been a source of fascination to a wide audience.广大观众一直迷恋于他的来信。

2 creeks   

n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪

参考例句：

• The prospect lies between two creeks. 矿区位于两条溪流之间。 来自辞典例句
• There was the excitement of fishing in country creeks with my grandpa on cloudy days. 有在阴雨天和姥爷一起到乡村河湾钓鱼的喜悦。 来自辞典例句

3 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

4 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

5 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

6 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 precisely   

adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地

参考例句：

• It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
• The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

8 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

9 precursor   

n.先驱者；前辈；前任；预兆；先兆

参考例句：

• Error is often the precursor of what is correct.错误常常是正确的先导。
• He said that the deal should not be seen as a precursor to a merger.他说该笔交易不应该被看作是合并的前兆。

10 defective   

adj.有毛病的，有问题的，有瑕疵的

参考例句：

• The firm had received bad publicity over a defective product. 该公司因为一件次品而受到媒体攻击。
• If the goods prove defective, the customer has the right to compensation. 如果货品证明有缺陷， 顾客有权索赔。

11 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

12 feminist   

adj.主张男女平等的，女权主义的

参考例句：

• She followed the feminist movement.她支持女权运动。
• From then on,feminist studies on literature boomed.从那时起，男女平等受教育的现象开始迅速兴起。

13 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

14 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

15 dispels   

v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• This landmark case dispels the absolute finality of this dreaded disease. 这个划时代的病例终于改观了这可怕疾病的绝对结局。 来自辞典例句
• Charles's experience--and that of all other researchers I have met--dispels many myths about water buffaloes. 查尔斯以及我所见到的其他研究人员的经验破除了关于水牛的许多奇谈。 来自辞典例句

16 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

17 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。