I remember reading a 'Scientific American' article about the use of new physical techniques - including neutron scattering - as a method for unravelling the structure of the ribosome. I was fascinated. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan americanarticlefascinate share on social
I think it is a mistake to judge science by Nobel Prizes. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan judgemistakenobel Change image and share on social
My mother, R. Rajalakshmi, taught at Annamalai University in Chidambaram, and during the day, I was well cared for by aunts and grandparents in the usual way of an extended Indian family. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan annamalaiauntcare Change image and share on social
If you go to a second-rate place, and you are first-rate, it is very difficult to do first-rate work because you do not get that critical feedback you need for first-rate work on a daily basis. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan basiscriticaldaily Change image and share on social
I started working on ribosomes when I was a post doc, in 1978, when it would have been impossible, really, to solve it. But, it was just a fundamental problem in biology. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan biologydocfundamental Change image and share on social
We live in an increasingly technological world where the issues are quite complex and based on some complicated science. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan basecomplexcomplicate Change image and share on social
I knew the ribosome was going to be the focus of Nobel prizes. It stands at the crossroads of biology, between the gene and what comes out of the gene. But I had convinced myself I was not going to be a winner. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan biologyconvincecrossroad share on social
Scientists are not movie stars or politicians who will feel insulted if they are not showered with accolades. Scientists are not interested in accolades. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan accoladefeelinsult Change image and share on social
Science today is a highly collaborative exercise, and to convert it into a contest, as the Nobel does, is a bad way to look at science. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan badcollaborativecontest Change image and share on social
It takes a certain amount of courage to tackle very hard problems in science, I now realise. You don't know what the timescale of your work will be: decades or only a few years. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan amountcouragedecade Change image and share on social
