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Nathalie Scholler, MD, PhD

Senior Staff Scientist, Lee Hartwell's Laboratory, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

REVIEW

Hanan Polansky's book challenges the current views of chronic disease and
commands respect for its daring originality. To comprehend this document, a broad spectrum of scientific skills is required, since mathematical tools are extensively used to interpret a wide range of published data in light of the microcompetition paradigm. Reading Hanan Polansky's book stirs multiple concepts and brings up all the excitement that good science can offer: unmapped thought patterns, puzzling questions, aching doubts and glints of light at the end of a dark corridor.

Hanan Polansky's book also underscores paradigms as filters for perception. Although the amount of cited literature is impressive and probably sufficient to make a point toward the validity of the microcompetition concept, the author processed through his own mental strainer, data generated by others. During this handling surfaced perilous stretches or simplifications of concepts and physiological mechanisms, as for example in immunology. I feel that the author's new theory would have gained strength by acknowledging data for which microcompetition could not be demonstrated. In conclusion, I would recommend the reading of this book to scientists wanting to challenge themselves and to take a peek out-of-the-box.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Nathalie Scholler received a PhD in Immunology with High Honors in 1995 from Peter S. Linsley's laboratory at Bristol Myers Squibb P.R.I. in Seattle, Washington. From 1995-1997, she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the same laboratory. Afterwards, from 1997-2001, she worked as a Staff Research Scientist in the laboratory of Ingegerd Hellstrom in the Tumor Immunology Department of the Pacific Northwest Research Institute in Seattle. Dr. Scholler then worked as a Senior Research Scientist in the Biochemistry Department of Seattle Genetics Inc. in Bothell, Washington from 2002-2003. She is currently a Senior Staff Scientist in the laboratory of Lee Hartwell (Nobel Laureate in Medicine 2001) at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Dr. Scholler's primary research interests are investigating the immune response to cancer and developing diagnostic tests for cancer's early detection. Dr. Scholler is a member of the American Society of Gene Therapy, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Association of Immunologists.

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