The mystery of rheumatic diseases always intrigued Dr. Brenner. “When I was a young physician, I saw patients with lupus, RA, and vasculitis, and no one at that time understood the physiological basis for any of these diseases,” he says. He wanted to answer these questions, which fueled his research throughout his career. The interest in solving the mystery of rheumatic diseases is still present in Dr. Brenner’s research. “A career in research isn’t about one thing, it’s really a marathon and an opportunity to have a lifetime of investigation and contribute to advances in a field that evolves.”
There are not many prizes in the field of rheumatology, so Dr. Brenner says the Carol Nachman Prize is “important because it draws attention to our field and gives it importance.”
Dr. Brenner feels lucky to have won the prize, but says, “at the same time, it makes me realize that there are a lot of people who have made important advances in the field and I wish there were more ways to recognize outstanding research.”
Both doctors would like to give advice for young researchers in the field. Dr. Burmester tells investigators to “work in an area that gets you excited! Only with passion and fun you will be able to make the best discoveries and overcome the many difficult situations you will encounter in doing scientific work.” Dr. Brenner encourages investigators to “not give up too quickly, because often things work out in one’s career, eventually. It just sometimes takes longer. It’s scary sometimes, but it’s fun and ultimately it is very rewarding.”
Amanda Rillo is a writer based in Hoboken, N.J.
