FBR President Frankie Trull
My career path illustrates yet again how
your college major can have virtually nothing to do with
your ultimate field of work. I majored in history at Boston
University during the 1970s, with vague ideas of becoming
a lawyer. My parents were supportive of almost all of my
career interests, although I know they secretly hoped I
would not become a professional horsewoman.
After graduation, I stayed in Boston and
worked for Tufts University, first at the school of medicine,
then at the dental school. At the same time, I completed
a master's program at Tufts in sociology. In 1976, the president
of Tufts, Jean Mayer, began discussing the idea of establishing
a veterinary school for New England. We were able to gather
the necessary support and resources fairly quickly, and
the first class entered the school in 1979. As most people
with lab animal interests are aware, the Tufts School of
Veterinary Medicine has become regarded as one of the best
in the field, a remarkable accomplishment when you consider
how relatively young it is.
In 1979, with the encouragement of many labratory animal
veterinarians, the Research Animal Alliance (RAA) was founded.
Two years later, we changed the name to the Association for
Biomedical Research (ABR), and in 1984, the ABR merged with
the National Society for Medical Research (NSMR) to become
the National Association for
Biomedical Research (NABR).
NABR was founded to represent member institutions
in national policy making that affects the use of animals
in research, education, and product-safety testing. It soon
became clear, however, that something needed to be done
to address public misconceptions about animal research,
since popular sentiment was giving rise to a number of legislative
actions that could hamper research.
In 1981, we founded the Foundation for
Biomedical Research (FBR) to promote public understanding
of animal research and challenge the untruths put forth
by animal rights activists. We managed to convince leading
scientists that they needed to get involved and reach out
to the public. We started the activities that FBR is continuing
to this day – holding media events, lining up scientists
to appear on national programs, and most importantly, distributing
educational publications about animal research to the public.
What is most rewarding about a career concerning
animal research? I think it is constantly being in contact
with many very bright, accomplished and committed people,
in both science and industry. The board of directors for
the Foundation for Biomedical Research, for example, has
seven Nobel Laureates for Medicine, as well as other medical
innovators such as our chairman, Michael
E. DeBakey.
I've been able to see the importance of
cooperation between government and the private sector. Our
economic system, despite its faults, is one reason the U.S.
is the world leader in science; it rewards risk-taking.
My position at FBR and NABR also has placed me in contact
with institutions that are at the forefront of science.
With biotechnology coming into its own, we should be witness
to tremendous changes just over the next decade.
It also is rewarding to know I am immersed
in an issue dealing with profound ethical questions and
which can have life-or-death implications for other people.
Most of the countless associations in Washington are devoted
to protecting a certain group's economic interest, but medical
research has the ultimate reward – good health and
longer life. It is nice to know you are standing up for
people who, in at least some way, are genuine heroes. As
for those who oppose us – you certainly could never
accuse them of being boring. The issue has always remained
interesting and provocative on top of everything else.
To those still in college, I would say: major in whichever
subject interests you; don't feel that a liberal arts degree
precludes a career in science. Harold Varmus, the former director
of the National Institutes of Health and a Nobel laureate,
earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in English
literature before going to medical school, and it obviously
hasn't held him back. If you already feel certain about your
career path, more power to you, but do not keep your vision
so narrow that you miss out on other kinds of learning. A
lot of things that may seem irrelevant at the time end up
being very handy later on in life. Also, having a serious
interest or avocation apart from a career – mine is
riding and showing horses – helps you keep things in
perspective.
Science in general and biotechnology in particular will be
witness to incredible changes in the next ten to twenty years.
Transgenic animals, mainly rodents, are going to be increasingly
important, and labratory animal breeding and care will become
even more sophisticated. It appears we've finally broken the
mammal-cloning barrier, and this type of animal offers powerful
advantages to researchers studying a specific disease or disorder.
Biology's pace should accelerate even more as we enter this
next century, and the public will often feel ambivalent and
even frightened by the impending advances. It is essential
that intelligent, inquisitive people continue to pursue work
in biology and labratory animal medicine – even if,
as in my case, the decision to do so comes relatively late.
I am confident that those opting for a life in science will
find a satisfaction and fulfillment unrivalled by virtually
any other career.
Additional Resources:
Biography of FBR President Frankie
L. Trull
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