Novick
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6 was during his time at Los
Alamos that Novick met with
now University Pres. Paul
Olum. Competing against
military police teams in flag
football league games. Novick
and Olum played for the
civilian team.
* 1 have this one photo where
I n throwing a pass and Paul is
blocking a defensive player.”
Novick said.
During the time of the project,
Novick was talking with Leo
Szilard, the man who initiated
the Manhattan Project and
wrote the letter that Albert Eins
tein later sent to Pres.
Roosevelt. It was Szilard who
asked if he would like to join
him in an adventure in biology.
The idea appealed to Novick.
Novick then quit his job, and
the two of them started a
biology research project in
Chicago. This turned out to be
the beginning of study in the
field of molecular biology.
“In a sense it was easy to get
started," Novick said. “There
wasn't much information on tha
subject- We were, really,
pioneers."
After working with Szilard
for about ten years, Novlck tired
of living in Chicago.
"it's a great place for work
and cultural interests," he said.
"But there's nowhere to go on
the weekends, ft’s a thousand
miles to the nearest mountain or
ocean. And, it’s easy to get
mugged."
It was at this time that the op
portunity to initiate a program
of molecular biology at the
University of Oregon came to
Novick.
"At first, I said no," Novick
said. "It seemed too remote, too
isolated." After a slight delay,
he accepted the position and
came to the University at
Christmas of 1958.
As a panel member with the
National Science Foundation,
Novick learned of a program
that would make funds
available for scientific inquiry
on a competitive basis.
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Novick and his colleagues
successfully applied, making
the University one of the first
three schools in the nation to
receive such funds. The Univer
sity acquired $7 million, which
was used to build the top two
floors of Science II and all of
Science 111. The money was also
used to fund the computers on
campus and two more faculty
positions, filled by University
Profs. Franklin Stahl and
George Streisinger. who died
this summer.
One active field of study at
the institute, as well as na
tionally, is genetic regulation,
the question of how cells dif
ferentiate and how they regulate
their activity.
"It's like a piano with a
million different keys, and it’s a
matter of what tune you’re play
ing," Novick said.
Many practical benefits have
came bom this course of study.
The study of genetic regulation
has led to genetic engineering,
the manipulation of information
within a cell. Pharmaceutical
companies now use genetically
altered bacteria to manufacture
human insulin. Another benefit
from this field of study has been
gains in cancer research.
"The tentative conclusion is
that cancer comes about in the
switching back on of a gene that
is supposed to be shut off.’’ he
explained "This can happen in
a number of ways, including
mutations and viruses."
Considering himself the
"ultimate amateur." Novick
has interest in almost all
disciplines of science. Spen
ding much time discussing new
developments in various fields
with other researchers. Novick
feels that scientists have a great
deal of responsibility to the
general public.
"I think it’s our duty to ex
plain the results of scientific in
quiry to the public." Novick
said. "Many of the findings can
be menacing to humans if ex
ploited badly."
During his time of research at
Los Alamos. Novick became
concerned about the issue of a
nuclear arms race as a result of
the project. At one point he was
chairman of a committee that
lobbied in Congress on the issue
of atomic energy, in the last few
years, he also has spoken
pubiically on the issue of arms
control.
Novick agrees with his friend
and scientist Carl Sagan that the
Earth's atmosphere is the most
vulnerable element of our en
vironment and that it cannot ab
sorb the impact of a ther
monuclear war.
"I feel that the public ought
to say to the government that
they should be up night and day
working on this problem of get
ting arms control. It’s too God
damn serious." Novick said.
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