GUTH 241Responsibilities of Senior and Junior Scientists
As can be seen from the foregoing, the junior scientists in the Laboratory
of Neuroanatomical Sciences were encouraged to develop independent
scientific careers. In this respect, they were granted consideration similar
to that now given to tenure-track assistant professors at medical schools.
The laboratory chief and the section chiefs did not give research assign
ments to the junior faculty; instead they encouraged them to develop
their scientific creativity and independence. This attitude, undoubtedly
a reflection of their prior academic experience, can best be illustrated
by a few personal examples:
•Windle actively encouraged my incipient research programs.
When I became interested in “trophic” functions of neurons, he
sent me to Northwestern University to consult with Leslie Arey
(a famous embryologist and author of a classical textbook Develop
mental Anatomy), who had studied mechanisms by which nerves
maintain the structure of taste buds. He also arranged for me to
meet W. Le Gros Clarke at Oxford University, who had studied
neurotrophic interactions in the olfactory system, and Fernando
de Castro, who had succeeded Ramón y Cajal and J. Francisco
Tello as Director of the Cajal Institute in Madrid and who had
done pioneering work on the physiological consequences of cross
reinnervation of autonomic ganglia. Windle knew how inspiring
it was for a young scientist to be given the opportunity to discuss
issues of scientific interest with such accomplished scientists.
•Even more important to my scientific development were the nu
merous discussions I had with various senior scientists who were
very kind to me. Most important to my scientific maturation was
the helpful friendship of Karl Frank, Chief of the Section on Spinal
Cord Physiology of the Laboratory of Neurophysiology. He was
a brilliant electrophysiologist, a pioneer in the then-emerging
field of intracellular recording and, most important of all, a gener
ous person who gave freely of his time to help others. When I was
completing my first independent experiment, in which I had
reinnervated the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion with
the vagus nerve, I sought his help in interpreting my findings. He