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Outlook: How to get over it: A tale of passion, pain and Nobel Prizes

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27/03/2024 GMT

How to get over it: A tale of passion, pain and Nobel Prizes

BBC World Service - Outlook, How to get over it: A tale of passion, pain and Nobel Prizes

Bruno Lemaitre made the discovery of his life – but someone else got the Nobel Prize

How do you cope when you feel your hard work has been overlooked? Bruno Lemaitre tells his story of disappointment – and moving on – after his boss won the Nobel Prize.

Bruno Lemaitre is a scientist who says he fulfils many of the classic stereotypes: socially awkward, a childhood fascination with nature and collecting, and an almost obsessive passion for research. That mix of focus and dogged determination paid off when, in 1996, he made an important discovery about the way the immune system works in fruit flies. The years of hard work and experimentation had been worth it. But there was some intense disappointment to come. Fast-forward fifteen years and the Nobel committee come calling – but it’s the head of the laboratory - Bruno’s boss – who’s been nominated and receives the honour for the discovery. Bruno tells his story of overcoming the intense emotions of feeling overlooked, giving credit where credit’s due, and reflecting on the highs and lows of working in the cut-throat world of scientific laboratories

Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Anna Lacey

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: Scientist Dr Bruno Lemaitre. Credit: Bruno Lemaitre)

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