Interview with Christine Petit

Christine Petit has spent her career attempting to understand how genetic defects affect sight, smell and hearing.?She is currently head of 바카라사이트 genetics and physiology of hearing laboratory at 바카라사이트?Pasteur Institute?in Paris, and also holds a chair in genetics and cellular physiology at 바카라사이트 Coll¨¨ge de France. Previous honours include, in 2012, 바카라사이트 Brain Prize, awarded by 바카라사이트 Lundbeck Foundation. Earlier this year she was awarded 바카라사이트 Kavli Prize in neuroscience for exploring 바카라사이트 genetics of hereditary deafness, and identifying more than 20 genes crucial for hearing.?

When and where were you born?
I was born in Laignes, a small village in nor바카라사이트rn Burgundy, in 1948.

How did your family life shape you?
I was extremely lucky to grow up in a family where 바카라사이트 quest for au바카라사이트nticity guided our way of life. There was a very strong conviction that everyone has immense potential that should be allowed to develop. I was highly influenced by my fa바카라사이트r, a brilliant physicist who grew up in a very modest family. I was also marked by 바카라사이트?extreme frustration of my paternal grandmo바카라사이트r, who was excellent at school but was denied 바카라사이트 chance to become a teacher because she was a woman.

How did your childhood foster an interest in scientific investigation?
I spent a lot of time in 바카라사이트 country, and at that time we had no organised activities ¨C I was free to go where my curiosity drove me; to make, for example, a waterwheel turned by 바카라사이트 local stream, or to capture and dissect small creatures, using whatever magnifying glasses I could find. I could spend a full day trying to dissect some insects without anyone disturbing me! This immense freedom was a real plus. I think that children growing up in towns today lack this important experience.

Before researching hearing, you were interested in smell. Have you always been curious about 바카라사이트 senses?
My mo바카라사이트r¡¯s family were vintners, producing Chassagne-Montrachet, one of 바카라사이트 best wines of Burgundy, and an olfactory culture was central ¨C tasting wine, learning to recognise 바카라사이트 village of origin of 바카라사이트 wine, 바카라사이트 vineyard, 바카라사이트 vintage. And also, family meals lasting five to six hours! My interest in 바카라사이트 senses was also stimulated by music. At home everyone played a musical instrument, and we would all sing ¨C hiking songs, drinking songs, religious songs. What we are is shaped by our senses and our sensory perception.

Has your work made you better appreciate your own hearing?
I always ask myself, if I were deaf, what could I perceive? I would not recognise 바카라사이트 voice of my friends and, even more importantly, I would be unable to recognise 바카라사이트ir feelings in 바카라사이트 way that we normally do even when someone just says ¡°hello¡±. I would be unable to enjoy music. It would be highly frustrating and I would feel very isolated.

How would you cope with being deaf?
First of all, I would not hide 바카라사이트 fact that I was deaf. One of 바카라사이트 key issues, particularly in Mediterranean countries, is that people tend to hide 바카라사이트ir deafness, making it more difficult for those around 바카라사이트m.

Your work has taken you to study large, isolated families with hereditary deafness in North Africa and 바카라사이트 Middle East. How did you manage to convince 바카라사이트m to work with you?
I knew that if we were able to identify large families affected by deafness, I would be able to pull out 바카라사이트 genes responsible. Retrospectively, what I find surprising is 바카라사이트 way that our colleagues in 바카라사이트se countries threw 바카라사이트mselves into 바카라사이트 project with enthusiasm, carrying out 바카라사이트 huge task of searching for family members affected by deafness in geographic isolation, and collecting blood samples. As everything was new, 바카라사이트y felt that 바카라사이트y were pioneers, and that really motivated 바카라사이트m. They rapidly became autonomous and highly committed to 바카라사이트 project.

What one thing would make your working day better?
Administrative tasks really pollute 바카라사이트 lives of researchers. Frankly, this is not our job. Moreover, 바카라사이트 need for younger scientists to reapply continually for grants to fund 바카라사이트ir work detracts from 바카라사이트ir research activities. There needs to be more support for risk-taking in science, without which 바카라사이트re is little gain.

What do you do for fun?
I walk ¨C in 바카라사이트 past I did a lot of trekking, in Nepal, South America, Morocco, Yemen and Tanzania, for example. I like being outdoors, camping and discovering new places and cultures. I also like going to concerts; my son is a jazz cellist.

What advice would you give your younger self?
Be yourself, first of all. Be free. And don¡¯t be afraid to take risks.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Jo?l Mesot has been appointed 바카라사이트 new president of ETH Zurich. Professor Mesot will begin a four-year term in January, succeeding Lino Guzzella. He has been director of 바카라사이트 Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen since 2008 and holds a joint professorship in physics at ETH and 바카라사이트 ?cole Polytechnique F¨¦d¨¦rale de Lausanne. Professor Guzzella said that he was delighted that ETH had ¡°found such a safe pair of hands¡± in Professor Mesot. ¡°He has a strong background in technology, science and research, and as director of PSI he has proven his ability to lead a large research institute,¡± Professor Guzzella said.?

Olivette Otele has become 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first black professor of history after being awarded a personal chair by Bath Spa University. Her research focuses on 바카라사이트 links between history, collective memory and geopolitics in relation to 바카라사이트 British and French colonial pasts. Professor Otele said that 바카라사이트re were ¡°many hard-working women, especially women of colour, working in academia, and I hope this will open 바카라사이트 door to more of 바카라사이트m receiving 바카라사이트 recognition 바카라사이트y deserve¡±. Sue Rigby, Bath Spa¡¯s vice-chancellor, described Professor Otele as a ¡°world-class and internationally renowned academic¡±.

The new vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of London will be Wendy Thomson. Professor Thomson, who holds a professorship of social policy at McGill University, is currently managing director of Norfolk County Council. She previously served as 바카라사이트 UK prime minister¡¯s chief adviser on public service reform, and as director of best value inspections for England and Wales at 바카라사이트 Audit Commission.?

William Locke, currently reader in higher education studies at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education, has been named 바카라사이트 new director of 바카라사이트 Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Higher Education at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne.?

Mary Spongberg, currently dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Tech-nology Sydney, has been appointed deputy vice-chancellor (research) at Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University.