Comment from the editors

Abstract

An extraordinary mentor: Judson J. Van Wyk, 1921–2004 Judson J. Van Wyk, MD, died this summer. His mentoring style and track record were remarkable and timeless, and I thought they were worth sharing. Jud was a clinician scientist who helped found the field of pediatric endocrinology. He was best known for his role in the discovery and actions of insulin-like growth factor-1, but he made significant contributions in multiple areas of endocrinology. He saw patients until he was almost 80, and performed research until he died. Jud headed one of the longest standing National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases-funded training grants from 1962 until 1991, and this is still funded today. He trained more than 100 MD or PhD scientists. A majority is still active in research, and many of them are department chairs, center directors, or division chiefs. Without exception, Jud’s trainees and colleagues acknowledge that his enthusiasm, excitement, and energy for science were key in attracting them to research and for keeping them there. In one accolade, Jud’s enthusiasm for science was likened to that of a child’s for ice cream. A new idea or new result would see Jud’s energy escalate so he talked at high speed and went from laboratory to laboratory and from person to person, sharing the news. In today’s environment, promoting the excitement and positive aspects of research sometimes gets diluted by the practical issues of funding, survival, and problem solving. We cannot ignore these issues but we should recognize the benefits of first energizing and encouraging young scientists before we focus on the challenges. Jud constantly had new ideas and challenged his trainees and colleagues to research them. His philosophy was “It doesn’t matter what your question is as long as it’s a good one—all you have to do is keep asking the right questions.” He encouraged trainees to master the literature in diverse fields and to use multiple approaches in research. This training philosophy is ideal in the multidisciplinary research of today. Jud believed that the environment had to be right for research to flourish. He constantly urged the University of North Carolina administration to create better facilities. We now have a new medical biomolecular research building with a state-of-the-art auditorium, which was named after Jud. He heard this news just before his death and, in true Jud form, commented, “This was almost worth dying for.” One of Jud’s last projects was to help create a state-of-the-art facility staffed with librarians, computers, software, and databases to facilitate research and learning by residents and fellows in pediatrics. The success of Jud’s trainees was his most important measure of success. “If they don’t do better than you, you’ve made no progress.” He had little time for turf disputes about projects or reagents and felt that, “If no one else is trying to do what you’re doing, it’s not interesting.” His own ego and success were always secondary to the progress of his trainees. On a personal note, Jud’s answer to my maternity leave was to deliver papers and data to my home so I did not lose time or contact—it was a very effective mentoring strategy. His philosophy of career-long positive reinforcement and free exchange of ideas and scientific currency are worth replicating. Jud did not like administration. His advice about committees was, “They are generally a waste of time—if you are unlucky enough to be appointed to one, the best way to deal with it is don’t show up—then they won’t ask you again.” Although maybe not universally advisable, this is definitely one way to protect time for research. Jud counseled his trainees to have outside interests and to keep in touch with real life. Some of my fondest memories are of Jud cycling at age 70 with his dog tied to the handle bars, buying a sailboat for his 50th wedding anniversary, playing the trumpet in the opening act of a local rock band headed by one of my secretaries, his almost arrest during a fire in a cold room when he refused to leave the building before he had rescued his samples, and the many dinner parties with Jud and his wife during which they made sure that new trainees became part of the family. It’s difficult to match Jud’s ability to blend science, clinical practice, and outside activities into the mentoring experience. However, as we all juggle with time management and time constraints, it is worth considering that even a small amount of informal and individual interaction can have a long-lasting, positive impact. I am personally bereft at the loss of this charismatic role model but I hope that some of Jud’s style will persist in his “offspring” and that all young scientists and clinicians get to experience at least one mentor as inspirational as Jud.