Thomas R. Cech

“It’s very satisfying to be able to solve a puzzle that has been puzzling people for a long time.”

“I think it is very important to have a feedback loop, where you're constantly thinking about what you've done and how you could be doing it better.”

“The RNA world hypothesis is compelling because it solves the chicken-and-egg problem of which came first, proteins or nucleic acids.”

“The fun of science is that you're always trying to ask a question that has not been asked before, or you're trying to answer it in a different way.”

“Being a scientist is like being an explorer. You have the joy of discovery.”

“The thrill of discovery is a very real thing. It's what keeps scientists going.”

“You have to be persistent. You have to be willing to fail and learn from your failures.”

“I am driven by a curiosity about how things work at a molecular level.”

“I'm a big believer in the value of careers and the importance of having a job you love.”

“In basic research, you never know where it's going to lead.”

“There's a great beauty in the way biological systems work, in their complexity and elegance.”

“Mentorship is one of the most important aspects of a scientific career.”