Brian Kobilka

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> ### Preamble by Robert Lefkowitz > > It’s a great source of personal pride and pleasure for me to introduce this interview with Dr. Brian Kobilka. Brian’s major contributions to science have been in elucidating the structure and mechanism of activation of G-protein–coupled receptors using primarily the beta 2 adrenergic receptor as a model. Brian’s interest in this area began about 30 years ago when he came to my laboratory as a cardiology fellow at Duke University to do post-doctoral research. He had already completed his medical degree at Yale and House Staff training at Washington University in Saint Louis. During his years in my laboratory, even at this very early stage in his career, the talents which would ultimately allow Brian to achieve his recent successes in crystallizing G-protein–coupled receptors and G-protein–coupled receptor complexes, were already apparent. These include remarkable technical creativity applied to seemingly intractable problems, persistence in the face of failure, and a seemingly unlimited tolerance for risk in the projects that he undertakes. > > In this interview Brian talks about the keys to his success. He wisely points out that there is no one “right” way to proceed in the lab to be successful. Rather, each one of us has to do it in a way which maximizes the particular talents and gifts that we have. One of the features that makes Brian’s own work so impressive is the consistent level of originality and creativity that he has brought to defeating technical hurdles which have obstructed forward progress by others in the field. > > I applaud Brian’s balanced approach to life. In addition to his devotion to his science, he is devoted to his family and also finds time for healthy leisure pursuits such as cycling and running. Any young (or not so young) scientist reading this interview could not find a better role model …