David G. Gorenstein, Ph.D.,
Professor
- Affiliations: Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Tel: (409) 747-6801
- dggorens@utmb.edu
- Route: 1157 Dockside Bldg. 2.114
- Dr. Gorenstein's Publications
- Gorenstein Lab Webpage
David G. Gorenstein, Ph.D.
About the Lab
Interview with Dr. Gorenstein
– by Jeff Chen, 2nd year BSCB Student
Dr. Gorenstein, has been studying Chemistry and Bioscience since the 1970’s. He is one of the co-founders of Sealy Center for Structural Biology & Molecular Biophysics and our program. He is now an Associate Dean for Research in UTMB.In this interview, he shared his experiences, ideas and philosophy of science and being a researcher. It is a great honor for me to have this opportunity to introduce Dr. Gorenstein through this interview.
Dr. Gorenstein enjoys science very much especially Chemistry; at the age of 12, he set up a lab of his own in the basement of his house and performed various kinds of chemical interactions. Although this looks dangerous when you look back at it, this is what really enlightened Dr. Gorenstein to be a scientist (hopefully his neighbors were not aware there was lab lead by a 12 years old child). Determined to be outstanding, after receiving his bachelor degree from M.I.T. In three years, he received his PhD. degree from Harvard in Chemistry. Amazingly, Dr. Gorenstein received the professorship before age 30.
In addition to science, he finds interest in drama, performing arts and painting. Above all, he is excellent in playing golf. He constantly holds the views that science and arts always go hand in hand to create a condition in which nature presents itself in the most harmonious way. He also mentioned that a scientist can also be an artist at the same time. Dr. Roald Hoffmann, a Nobel laureate in Chemistry, is a good example of a scientist and also a poet.
Dr. Gorenstein points out that one of the most outstanding aspects in doing research in America is that it encourages creativity and somewhat gambling in one way or another. This is a far cry from Europe where they usually keep to the beaten path. Thanks to the introduction of NMR, X-ray, and computer technologies, Dr. Gorenstein sees that new fields are being driven by these new applications, which were never thought of before.
When the question came to what brought Dr. Gorenstein to UTMB. He claimed that it is better to reexamine your research career every 10 to 15 years. To himself, he has changed his research fields five times. Although trained as a physical organic chemist in the beginning, he realized later on that the most exciting research is in Biology. UTMB, being a medical school was exactly the place where he could apply his knowledge into Biology. Just like now he is heading a team devoted to the research in proteomics and nanotechnology. To further address his ideas, Dr. Gorenstein made an analogy between scientific research and that of the curve of life---in other words, the rise and fall of a life circle. Research field is like a curve of life, there is lag phase then expanding period and goes to fatality. It is quite necessary to change your research subject when the existing research subject is going to an end.
When I asked what is the unique about BSCB (Biophysical, Structural and Computational Biology) program, he told that it was unique in bringing structure biology into the campus of a medical school. In the early 1990's, The Sealy Center was established at UTMB. This investment is believed to have transformed our school. He was sure that UTMB had the edge over other competitors in that it brought together different disciplines such as molecular biology, virology, disease with structural biology, ten years ago.
Dr. Gorenstein’s advice to students is to keep an open mind and be curios. They are the internal driving forces that keep one learning and working to achieve their dreams. To put it in other words, it is your attitude and motivation that are more important than simply IQ.
Professor Westheimer, a distinguished professor in Harvard, Dr. Gorenstein’s Ph.D mentor is someone whom he regads most highly. Professer Westheimer even served as the science advisor to President Johnson. He had often mentioned that you should always look for opportunities to apply scientific findings to prepare the ground for later advances in new fields. Dr. Gorenstein admires the efforts Dr. Westheimer put in society, especially he helped the public understand and support scientific projects. He was the man behind the scientific development at that time in United States.