Desperate Things

 

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things..” - Henry David Thoreau

Is the modern day life science professional wise? Does s/he go to work each day with a purpose to discover new things or have they found employment that they desperately need? In my 13 year career in Biotechnology I was merely employed. During that time I learned many important things but they were learned on the periphery of my official work. 

Biotechnology is a wonderful thing. What most biotech employees do is not. They can employ the technology but does it result in scientific advancement? They turn on the machines, fill out the paperwork and go home as early as they can. Many of these employees are fully aware that their work is not science. 

Take, for example, an employee at Theranos. At the high point there were nearly 700 people working at Theranos. 2 (CEO and President) went to jail, 2 (laboratory technicians) were whistle blowers. In between were a whole lot of people engaged in "desperate things". 

Thought experiment: You have been working at Theranos for a few months. You are driving to work. The sun is coming up and it is going to be a beautiful day. But you are worried. You have to give a presentation soon and the results you need are just not coming in. You know what needs to go up on that PowerPoint slide. You have a meeting with your technicians. Will they have the data you need to please your superiors? 

The desired outcome IS the only instruction. Those above you have given you instructions on what they need from you. You have then given instructions to your group. They must now go into the laboratory and achieve the desired outcome. The problem is that they are using a machine designed by other people. The machine cannot achieve the desired outcome. They turn on the machine, inject the sample, and await the results. They show up to the meeting with the results. 

As you drive to work you imagine a genius has arrived at Theranos. He knows that the samples are not properly biochemically presented to the machine. He makes the adjustments that only a true biochemist can make.  The results come in easily. Eureka! The machine works! Anyone can now prepare the samples, inject them into the machine and get accurate results. With great pride and joy you will stroll into your presentation with results sure to please all in attendence. You acknowledge and thank your staff. You finish the presentation by laying the ground work for full bonuses and future promotions. 

But you are not the genius who can make everything work. Even worse, you are just smart enough to know that the project was doomed from the start. Why? Bad science. The finger prick sampling of blood introduces factors that destroy accurate testing. You know this. You know your technicians can't overcome this reality. You need the job however. You have kids, a mortgage, a new car. Everyone thinks you are a success. As you drive to work on a beautiful day, you are living a life of quiet desperation. You must throw your technicians under the bus. 

If you read Bad Blood you will remember the story of George Shultzs' grandson. He was a technician at Theranos who was not getting the desired results. His superiors were threatening him to get those results or else. He became a whistle blower by talking to a reporter at  the Wall Street Journal. His superiors, those who drove to work on beautiful days with worried minds, began to suspect the technician would spill the beans. He went to visit his grandfather only to find two Theranos attorneys awaiting his arrival in a room on the second floor. It was an ambush. He needed to sign the nondisclosure contract or face dire consequences. He bravely became a whistle blower rather then live a life of quiet desperation. 

This is of course the extreme. But most scientists face unpleasant consequences when the desired results are not forthcoming. True science will overcome this dilemma eventually. True science works and will provide the path to making things work. True science will only allow for it's proper application. This is known as technology. You can keep trying but only proper application produces useful predictable technology. You must use the scientific method. If not you must live a life of quiet desperation.