Lipscomb alum meets with Nobel Laureates in Lindau

Chris Pepple | 

Every summer, invited Nobel Laureates gather in the picturesque island city of Lindau, Germany, for a unique meeting with young researchers from around the world. Since 1951, the Nobel Laureate Meetings at Lindau have connected scientific generations through week-long conferences designed to engage world-renowned scientists in conversation with talented young researchers. In July, Chris Brosey (’05) attended this meeting as part of a select group of 74 top American science students. The attendees are nominated by a global board of academic partners and evaluated by a review panel.

Brosey meeting Dr. Richard Ernst

Brosey, currently a graduate student at Vanderbilt University seeking her Ph.D. in biochemistry, was sponsored by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and selected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), which have a standing invitation to bring students to the meeting. Brosey studies the three-dimensional architecture and biophysical properties of Replication Protein A (RPA), a protein involved in DNA repair and replication, using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. At Lipscomb, she majored in biology and physics with minors in applied mathematics and chemistry.

“This opportunity both opened new doors to me and strengthened my current goals,” Brosey said. “This conference pushed me more towards pursuing research as a career and doing post-doctoral work in Europe. Previously working in Europe wasn’t on my radar, but now it is an option I am considering. The Laureates were very open about the challenges they faced throughout their careers. It was comforting to have the opportunity to see people who have come out well on the other end while being in the middle of my own intense Ph.D. research.”

The Laureates divided their time between formal morning lectures and informal afternoon discussions. The meetings also provided many opportunities for personal interaction. Brosey mingled with 32 Laureates during evening gatherings, dinners and a musical concert. The group also traveled together to the Isle of Mainau for the closing ceremony.

“This was a fairy tale, in a sense. I talked personally with two Nobel Prize winners who pioneered my own field of NMR spectroscopy. I got to know their personalities, ask them about their research, ask for advice as a student,” said Brosey, referring to Richard Ernst (1991 Nobel Prize in chemistry) and Kurt Wüthrich (2002 Nobel Prize in chemistry). Richard Ernst, in particular, shared with students his love of Tibetan scroll paintings as an example of maintaining pastimes outside of pure science. He reminded young researchers to seek a balance between their own scientific pursuits and interests beyond research.

Brosey (green sweater) in afternoon session with Dr. Kurt Wuthrich

Brosey hopes to finish her doctoral work in approximately 18 months. She appreciates the strong foundation she received from her studies at Lipscomb.

“Chris's double major in biology and physics reflects her unique and extensive interests and abilities,” said Alan Bradshaw, associate professor of physics at Lipscomb University and director of the Vanderbilt GI Biomagnetism Lab. “She always strove for and attained excellence in every area of her life. She worked extensively with me during her junior and senior years at Lipscomb on a project that examined spatial information in gastric biomagnetic fields. Although her impressive graduate career has taken her research interests in different directions, I think Lipscomb helped to lay the foundation for her current scholarly pursuits. We will continue to follow Chris' career with great interest and look forward to more great accomplishments from her.”