HOW TO BE AN EXPERT WITHOUT EVEN TRYING

Linda with Creampuff

About the size of a baby, but with more hair.

There is no easy  way to acquire a working knowledge of genetics, cancer therapies, genetic medicine or any such topic.  Believe me, I know; I’ve tried.  In fact, to be sure of success it probably is necessary to go to medical school, then take a Ph.D.  in molecular biology – and finally work in the field for ten or twelve years. As I  am 79 and plan to be awarded  the Nobel Prize in medicine by age 80, I have to fake it.  You can learn vast amounts from reading textbooks, going to lectures, and bothering working scientists, but not enough.  What is necessary is to secure a sound, overarching, totally superficial knowledge – through the Teaching Company!

I have been studying  two Teaching Company courses over the last few months.  One is good, the other is excellent.  Investing only 30 minutes per day (I watch them while riding an exercise bicycle), anyone can obtain a glib, superficial knowledge of genetics sufficient to enliven any cocktail party or family picnic.  When the conversation turns from politics, Lindsay Lohan, and why the Mariners are so rotten - to retroviruses, lymphocytes and the like – suddenly,  you are the center of attention!  In fact, if you are very clever, you can  subtly guide the conversation around to meiosis, promoters,  junk DNA, and any number of other fascinating things – and then you can give a  lecture!  So what if you don’t get invited to future parties?  After all, who cares?  Really

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Seriously, if you want to know more about biology in general, genetics, and/or cancer, then I can recommend two Teaching Company courses with confidence.  Neither is particularly easy going, but both are “accessible” if you put in some effort.  Of course, I am bound by the Teaching Companies rules not to lend them to you. But screw that; if you want to borrow them, just ask.

The longer of the two courses (72 half-hour lectures) is “Biology: The Science of Life”.  It is good, but not great.  This is a complete biology course: from atoms and molecules to populations and ecosystems.  The instructor at times looks like a deer in the headlights, and you can see his brain grinding out thoughts such as “My God, how am I going to get through all this stuff in 30 minutes?”  Also, at times he obviously is simply reading from his notes.  However, the coverage is excellent, the graphics are very good, and he does a extremely thorough  job with genetics and genetic-related diseases.  I have gone over those lectures several times and I will do so again, pretty soon.

The second course – “Understanding Genetics: DNA, Genes, and their real-world applications” is excellent.  It is only 24 lectures, hence much less expensive and much easier to consume.  The teacher rather resembles a Caltech freshman of the 1950s (in fact, he is the grown-up  spitting image of a friend of mine, Dirk Swain.)  However, he has a good, sneaky sense of humor.  The lectures are beautifully organized, clear, and to the point.  The Molecular Medicine lectures are worth the price of the entire course. 

I am getting ready to move to Borrego Springs, CA, and get re- involved with the Anza Borrego Park Paleontology Society.  But I’m sure I will keep on blogging.  Thanks to the Internet, Fred Hutch is only a few electrons away.