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.

Justice and spring birds

Posted on 21 March 2011 by Steve Caplan

A few short weeks ago I posted a blog entitled “I’d rather be blasting homeopathy“, and provided two letters that I had written. One was addressed to my local Nebraska congressman, and asked that he be considerate of science and … Continue reading →

Posted in budget, congressman, flicker, HELP-scientists-in-need!, mystery bird, ornithology, parking ticket, red nape, Research, science, supporting science, woodpecker | Comments Off on Justice and spring birds

Parental Science Geeks, Beware!

Posted on 16 March 2011 by Steve Caplan

For many of us career scientists, our work–our profession–is really a way of life more than a job. So it is doubly so–perhaps exponentially so–when in a family both parents are science geeks scientists. Scientists have long been portrayed as … Continue reading →

Posted in cartoon, comics, dinner, education, humor, losers-without-anything-else -to-talk-about, parental science geeks, pass the salt, Research, science, self-absorbed, Silliness | Comments Off on Parental Science Geeks, Beware!

Money and the perversion of science

Posted on 12 March 2011 by Steve Caplan

Having just returned the grant review session at the NIH I thought that this would be a particularly good time to bring up something that has been bothering me for a number of years. It’s quite sad, but I’ve slowly … Continue reading →

Posted in funding, grants, money, postdocs, Research, science, students, training | Comments Off on Money and the perversion of science

International Women’s Day: 100 years

Posted on 9 March 2011 by Steve Caplan

Seeing as it’s now exactly almost 100 years since the first celebration of International Women’s Day, I thought it might be important to have some perspective on the equality of women in Israel, a country where I spent many important … Continue reading →

Posted in Equality, feminism, Israel, women | Comments Off on International Women’s Day: 100 years

Postdocs treadmilling in science careers

Posted on 5 March 2011 by Steve Caplan

I recently read Jenny’s outstanding and insightful commentary entitled “Give postdocs a career, not empty promises” published on March 2 (in your nth favorite weekly science journal beginning with the letter N). First, I want to voice my absolute support, … Continue reading →

Posted in career, education, job, laboratory, postdoc, principal investigator, Research, science, student | Comments Off on Postdocs treadmilling in science careers

Bad sports?

Posted on 28 February 2011 by Steve Caplan

When we first moved to Omaha, Nebraska some years ago, and settled into our new house, it was a Friday. By Saturday noon, we had made an initial stab at organizing a few essential boxes, and wanted to relieve the … Continue reading →

Posted in education, Football, health, Lincoln, Nebraska, omaha, science, sports, university sports | Comments Off on Bad sports?

I’d rather be blasting homeopathy…

Posted on 24 February 2011 by Steve Caplan

Although Austin has been doing such a great job in this area, and Cath’s defrocking of “horror-scopes” made a nice contribution, I would like to get my own claws on this matter. But alas, sadly, I have my own agenda … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, dance, frustration, parking ticket, Research, science | Comments Off on I’d rather be blasting homeopathy…

A working vacation

Posted on 20 February 2011 by Steve Caplan

Some time ago, one of my children asked me to explain what an oxymoron is, and I scrambled to find a good example. Well the title of this blog is a good one. Or is it? Years ago as Ph.

Posted in blackberry, cell phone, Mexico, ornithology, oxymoron, Research, science, technology, vacation | Comments Off on A working vacation

Regression to the “mean”

Posted on 15 February 2011 by Steve Caplan

They say that Steve Caplan is a mild-mannered scientist. But he pops into a phone-booth–no wait–that’s a thing of the past–he pops into the darkroom, and out comes Dr. Mean… Well, I do have a temper. Perhaps it’s slow to … Continue reading →

Posted in author, egotism, humor, Research, science | Comments Off on Regression to the “mean”

The four Yorkshiremen at NIH…

Posted on 11 February 2011 by Steve Caplan

I said it. It didn’t mean to slip out, but it did. Well, I can’t cap the genie back in the bottle, can I? So here it is: “When I was at the NIH…” When I was a young student, … Continue reading →

Posted in monty python, NIH, postdoct, Research, science, students | Comments Off on The four Yorkshiremen at NIH…