JEREMY TUTTLE, Ph.D.
professor,
Department of Neuroscience,
University of Virginia Health System

“I’ve been a scientist for 30 years, and every morning I still wake up eager to go to the lab,” says Jeremy Tuttle, professor of neuroscience and professor of research in urology at the University of Virginia (UVa). “Every week something new happens that startles me and keeps me excited about my work.

“Science provides a good life for an intensely curious person,” Tuttle continues. “It offers personal freedom to pursue exciting questions that have value to humanity.” His current research focuses on neurodegenerative and urological diseases.

Tuttle’s interest in science was fostered in part by his family’s involvement in biomedical research. “My uncle co-initiated the Gordon summer conference series. It attracted Nobel laureates in science, and I spent vacations listening to exciting scientific discussions.” To gain more knowledge about how research is conducted, he also attended a National Science Foundation summer research program at the Jackson Laboratory in Maine.

Tuttle encourages high school students considering science careers to “get involved in research programs. Being part of the scientific enterprise is the best way to collect data points for good career decisions.”

Tuttle’s career data points led him to complete a dual major—American literature and biology—at the University of Rochester. “After graduation,” he says, “I realized I could pursue literature by myself, but not science.”

Tuttle completed his Ph.D. at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “However,” he recalls, “I was clueless about how to actually have a research career.” With guidance from mentors, Tuttle wrote a successful grant proposal and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Connecticut (UConn).

“Writing American lit papers helped me tackle the grant application,” Tuttle says. “Writing skills are incredibly important for scientists—we must craft clear explanations for our peers, the public, and granting agencies.”

Tuttle’s career took him from UConn to an assistant professorship at UVa, where he has continued to conduct research informed by his scientific curiosity, the teachings of his mentors, and his understanding of the history of science. “Mentorship is critical,” Tuttle observes. “Biomedical research is a collaborative endeavor. New scientists need to learn about the system and how to interact with it. The history of science demonstrates the importance of mentoring—even the early alchemists had apprentices learning beside them.”

Tuttle’s historical perspective also has increased his commitment to the future of the field. “I want science to be incorruptible. I’m proud of being a good citizen in science, and I want new scientists to have the same ambition.”

To realize this mission, Tuttle teaches an NIH-mandated course in responsible scientific conduct. “The pressure to cheat by fabricating data starts early,” he notes. “New scientists want to advance, and that creates conflicts between listening to what the data says and jamming the data into the answers they want.”

Tuttle extends his interest in future researchers through Ask a Scientist. “I’m in contact with budding scientists, and their questions push me intellectually. For example, someone asked why human sperm uses fructose for energy rather than glucose, which is a more common simple sugar. After consulting with other scientists, I could explain that fructose is more chemically stable.

“I enjoy helping to attract and train scientists,” Tuttle concludes. “As the pace of scientific discovery accelerates, we must harness and direct the energy of curious, compassionate individuals to ensure that these discoveries add to the quality of human existence.”

Author: Joan Guberman