As I look back on the last few decades of my life, I am struck by the good fortune that came my way.

People are not the only interesting organism on earth. From the point of view of scientific or commercial value, there are lots of interesting organisms.

At every stage of my career I have had interesting and cordial colleagues, some of whom are close friends.

And of course, identifying all human genes and proteins will have great medical significance.

Small science, which includes most research in the life sciences all over the world, is science directed usually by an individual senior scientist and a small team of junior associates, perhaps three, ten, fifteen, something in that order.

First of all, many human diseases are influenced by, if not caused by mutations in genes.

My education began in the public schools of Wilmington. During most of these years, from about age 10, I also worked at some job or other after school, on weekends, and in the summer months.