Author Archives: Steve Caplan

About Steve Caplan

I am a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska where I mentor a group of students, postdoctoral fellows and researchers working on endocytic protein trafficking. My first lablit novel, "Matter Over Mind," is about a biomedical researcher seeking tenure and struggling to overcome the consequences of growing up with a parent suffering from bipolar disorder. Lablit novel #2, "Welcome Home, Sir," published by Anaphora Literary Press, deals with a hypochondriac principal investigator whose service in the army and post-traumatic stress disorder actually prepare him well for academic, but not personal success. Novel #3, "A Degree of Betrayal," is an academic murder mystery. "Saving One" is my most recent novel set at the National Institutes of Health. Now IN PRESS: Today's Curiosity is Tomorrow's Cure: The Case for Basic Biomedical Research (CRC PRESS, 2021). https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B006CSULBW? All views expressed are my own, of course--after all, I hate advertising.

Cold Turkey

Posted on 30 September 2012 by Steve Caplan

Why did the turkeys cross the road? How on earth would I know? They aren’t exactly the most brilliant species alive…

Posted in autumn, depression, fall, Lake Zorinsky, omaha, turkeys | Comments Off on Cold Turkey

Are you speaking?

Posted on 22 September 2012 by Steve Caplan

Another hectic month of academic juggling, teaching, grant reviews, grant writing, manuscript reviews and handling, manuscript writing and submission, handling the affairs of the departmental graduate committee and concerns of incoming students, college wide graduate council (in which I was … Continue reading →

Posted in gallaudet university, humor, joni mitchell, meeting, Research, science, speaker, talk to me | Comments Off on Are you speaking?

On common denominators between scientists and journalists: integrity in dealing with complex matters

Posted on 15 September 2012 by Steve Caplan

Since my recent experience in posting a first blog entitled “Academic Boycotts, Science and Hypocrisy“ on Occam’s Corner at The Guardian’s science blogsite, I have spent a good deal of time thinking about the parallels between good scientists and good … Continue reading →

Posted in academic boycott, conflict, hypocrisy, integrity, Israel, journalism, Middle East, Occam's Corner, Palestinians, propaganda, Research, science | Comments Off on On common denominators between scientists and journalists: integrity in dealing with complex matters

In defense of journal hierarchy

Posted on 26 August 2012 by Steve Caplan

Plagued with an unbelievably busy schedule, I have been a mostly passive follower of the excellent dialog that has resulted from several outstanding blogs on the peer review system, many of them “high impact blogs” by my esteemed colleague, Dr. … Continue reading →

Posted in high tier, impact factor, journals, papers, peer review, Research, science | Comments Off on In defense of journal hierarchy

Educating children: balancing the need for instilling security with knowledge of evil

Posted on 18 August 2012 by Steve Caplan

As I’ve probably noted too many times in these pages, I am an addicted bookworm, and always have been. The pages of my books have always been escape (albeit often to realities more difficult than my own), and in modern … Continue reading →

Posted in children, educating, education, emotional well-being, evil, Holocaust, Sarah's Key, security | Comments Off on Educating children: balancing the need for instilling security with knowledge of evil

Deja vu

Posted on 17 August 2012 by Steve Caplan

Science is all about repetition, but this kind of repetition, ad nauseum, I can do without. My name is Steve Caplan, I work on protein trafficking and ENDOCYTIC recycling. I have NOTHING to do with environmental recycling of waste, at … Continue reading →

Posted in Ad nauseum, Couldn't find your *** without a flashlight, humor, recycling, Research, Scam, science, spam | Comments Off on Deja vu

Roots

Posted on 11 August 2012 by Steve Caplan

It’s back to work for me, with new students to orient, grants to review, papers to write, seminars to deliver–in short, back to what I enjoy doing. But “back from what?” My family and I have been living in Omaha, … Continue reading →

Posted in ancestors, Canada, Dov, family, family trees, science | Comments Off on Roots

The cairn as a symbol of mentorship

Posted on 28 July 2012 by Steve Caplan

In the spirit of my previous blog on self-promotion, I forge on. Sometime this spring, I was nominated for a national award known as the Thomas Maciag Award, a National Institutes of Health sponsored award for a scientist who embodies … Continue reading →

Posted in cairn, mentoring, Research, science, Thomas Maciag Award | Comments Off on The cairn as a symbol of mentorship

How far will you go to self-promote?

Posted on 27 July 2012 by Steve Caplan

At the risk of going overboard… At least it’s clear to me that I wasn’t going to be a supermodel…

Posted in aggressive salesperson, humor, Lablit, nudnik, pushy, science, shirtlit | Comments Off on How far will you go to self-promote?

Should I buy a lottery ticket?

Posted on 22 July 2012 by Steve Caplan

I’m not a gambler, but every once in a while a weird coincidence strikes–sometimes so weird that I wonder about my “luck,” and with such a rare and unusual event unfolding, whether it would be more likely for me to … Continue reading →

Posted in coincidence, humor, invitations, lottery, Research, science, seminars, Strange but true | Comments Off on Should I buy a lottery ticket?