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Doherty: Rekindle curiosity to push aheadBy Ian Grayson  Peter Doherty, left, receives the Nobel Prize for physiology from Sweden's King Gustaf in 1996. FORWARD THINKERS(CNN) -- Very few people win the Nobel Prize. Even fewer write a handbook showing others how it's done. Having joined one of the world's most exclusive clubs, Australian scientist Peter Doherty is determined to shed light on the scientific process and the vital part it plays in everyday life. He believes everyone has a scientific spark within them -- it's just that most have forgotten where it is. "Curiosity is what makes us human," professor Doherty says. "You see it in little children, but over time it often fades. We need to find ways to rekindle it." When Doherty received the scientific world's top accolade in 1996, it was recognition for a dedicated research career spanning more than 30 years. His focus on the workings of the human immune system led to a major breakthrough that's led to significant advances in the battle against cancer. Receiving such a high-profile award, together with being named Australian of the Year in 1997, prompted a level of media attention few people experience. The diary soon filled with a seemingly endless line of radio, television and press interviews. Rather than seeing it as a distraction from work, the quietly spoken professor relished the opportunity to explain what scientists do and the importance of pure research. Dissatisfied, however, with the ephemeral nature of most media reports, Doherty decided to put his thoughts into book form. The result, "The Beginner's Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize.," has been widely applauded. For Doherty, encouraging young people to consider a career in science has become a passion. He travels widely, with speaking engagements ranging from school groups to research conferences. Diversion led to finding his nicheDoherty's stellar career in viral research began in a roundabout way. After completing a veterinary degree in Australia, he opted to work on infectious diseases in animals. It was only through a subsequent diversion into the field of cell immunity that he found his future area of expertise. Working from lab facilities in both Australia and the United States, he remains intensely involved in uncovering the biological mysteries of life. His current projects focus on the influenza virus and the looming global threat of bird flu. On that front, Doherty is hopeful the world will be spared from a widely predicted pandemic of the deadly virus. "I'm hoping we will duck the bullet," he says. "Bird flu may not make the jump so that it can spread from human to human. Additionally, the rate of infection is declining in most of Southeast Asia, he says. My main concern, though, it that it's still spreading rapidly in Indonesia." While acknowledging that not every researcher will win the Nobel Prize, Doherty says it's important for anyone with an interest in science to consider working in the field. "You don't need an IQ off the scale, but rather you need to be curious and look at the world around you," he says. Following the scientific method, pure research sets out to disprove theories. It's the things discovered along the way that make the journey so fascinating. "You try and find the worm in the apple," he says. "But sometimes the worm turns out to be more interesting than the apple." Doherty is an advocate for greater investment in education, because young people are the source of future ideas and scientific achievements. "We need to be looking all the time at how we are dealing with science in society, and teaching science is very important. It's the future." In his book, Doherty offers some guidelines for budding Nobel laureates. They include being realistic and playing to your strengths, acquiring basic skills and working with the right people. It's important to be persistent and tenacious but also important to be prepared to fail. Above all, he says, realize that it will take time. "It can take 50 years from the point of making a big discovery to the time that a Nobel committee comes to a decision that, at least from your point of view, is exactly the right one." 
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