Paul Greengard

Paul Greengard – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life and scientific legacy of Paul Greengard — American neuroscientist, Nobel laureate, and pioneer in signaling pathways in the brain — along with his philosophy and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Paul Greengard (December 11, 1925 – April 13, 2019) was a towering figure in neuroscience, known for revealing how signals inside neurons are modulated and how those pathways affect brain function and disease. His work helped lay the biochemical foundation for understanding neurotransmission, synaptic plasticity, and the molecular basis of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2000 (with Arvid Carlsson and Eric Kandel), Greengard combined curiosity, precision, and a deep moral sense of science’s role in society. Today, his discoveries continue to guide research into depression, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and more.

Early Life and Family

Greengard was born in New York City on December 11, 1925, to Pearl (née Meister) and Benjamin Greengard.

His father, Benjamin, once worked as a vaudeville comedian and later became a businessman in cosmetics and retail.

Growing up in Brooklyn and Queens, Greengard attended public schools in New York.

Youth, Military Service & Education

During World War II, Greengard served in the U.S. Navy as an electronics technician, working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on early warning systems to detect incoming Japanese kamikaze aircraft.

After the war, he enrolled at Hamilton College, where he majored in mathematics and physics, graduating in 1948.

He earned his PhD at Johns Hopkins University in 1953, working under Haldan Keffer Hartline and engaging in early studies into neural physiology.

Career and Breakthroughs

Transition to Biochemistry & Academia

After his postdoctoral training, Greengard worked in industry as director of Biochemistry at the Geigy Research Laboratories (in Ardsley, New York) from roughly 1959 to 1967.

In 1983, Greengard moved to The Rockefeller University, where he became the Vincent Astor Professor of Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience and led the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience.

Nobel Prize–Winning Discoveries in Signal Transduction

Greengard’s signature scientific contribution lies in elucidating how extracellular signals (neurotransmitters) can lead to internal biochemical changes inside neurons, a process known as signal transduction.

In particular, he studied how dopamine and other neurotransmitters bind to receptors on neuron surfaces, triggering cascades involving second messengers (e.g. cyclic AMP), activation of protein kinases, and phosphorylation of downstream proteins.

One key protein in his work is DARPP-32, a central regulatory hub in dopamine signaling and a means by which dopamine’s effects are chemically mediated within neurons.

These insights transformed the field’s understanding of neuronal signaling, bridging molecular biology and neurophysiology, and opening new paths for exploring psychiatric disorders, neurodegeneration, and drug effects.

In recognition of these contributions, Paul Greengard shared the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Arvid Carlsson and Eric Kandel for their collective discoveries about signal transduction in the nervous system.

Later Research, Mentorship & Advocacy

Throughout his later years, Greengard continued active research and mentoring. He served on advisory boards such as the Scientific Advisory Board of the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund and was involved with the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.

Importantly, he used part of his Nobel Prize money to establish the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize, named for his mother, which honors exceptional women in biomedical research.

Greengard also remained dedicated to nurturing young scientists, fostering interdisciplinary work, and emphasizing rigorous, curiosity-driven investigation.

Historical Context & Significance

In the latter half of the 20th century, neuroscience was rapidly transforming from descriptive anatomy and electrophysiology into molecular and cellular levels of inquiry. Greengard’s work offered a bridge: how does the chemical language of neurotransmitters translate into the internal machinery of neurons?

His contributions arrived at a time when psychiatric disorders, addiction, Parkinson’s disease, and neurodegeneration were being reexamined in molecular terms. The concept of intracellular signal cascades became a foundational paradigm for understanding how drugs (e.g. antidepressants, antipsychotics) and neuromodulators act — not simply at the receptor, but deep inside the cell.

Greengard’s emphasis on phosphorylation in neurons paralleled and drew from advances in cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. His success demonstrated that the brain could be studied with the same biochemical rigor as any other tissue and that neurobiology could yield actionable molecular targets.

Legacy and Influence

Paul Greengard left a rich and multi-layered legacy:

• Pioneer of neuronal signaling: His elucidation of intracellular cascades is now a central pillar of modern neurobiology.

• Linker across disciplines: He integrated biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology, and neuroscience in ways that reshaped the field.

• Mentor and institutional builder: Through Rockefeller and elsewhere, he shaped a generation of scientists and fostered institutions.

• Champion of gender equity: The Pearl Meister Greengard Prize continues to highlight women’s contributions to biomedical science.

• Influence in disease research: His work continues to underpin research in depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, addiction, and neuropsychiatric disorders.

• Model of scientific integrity: He believed in asking hard questions, doing patient work, and giving back to the community.

His name now features prominently in neuroscience textbooks, in labs, and in the lineage of students and collaborators who carry forward his approach.

Personality, Philosophy & Approach

Greengard carried a reputation for humility, intellectual rigor, and an abiding respect for the difficult labor of science — for the experiments, failures, and incremental gains.

He often emphasized that science is not glamour:

“Science is not the glamour that’s portrayed in films. It’s a lot of drudgery work, along with the wonderfully exciting periods when you discover something.”

He believed in directing effort to problems that are solvable:

“My philosophy is that we should ask the most important question that’s capable of being solved.”

He also spoke candidly about his own motivations and sense of self:

“I have a lot of confidence through my accomplishments. I'm always trying to prove I'm not the worthless child they say I was.”

And on the nature of scientific life:

“The fact is all of the most highly successful scientists I know work practically all the time.”

“You should only go into science if you really have a yearning to make scientific discoveries.”

Greengard recognized the limits of knowledge:

“The knowledge we have of communication among cells does not permit my giving you a sophisticated understanding.”

He was also keen to caution against age-based dismissal:

“It’s a tragedy for society to spend decades training people and then depriving them of work at some arbitrary age.”

These reflections reveal a scientist who understood both the grand ambitions and the human scale of scientific work.

Famous Quotes of Paul Greengard

Here is a selection of notable quotes by Greengard:

• “Science is not the glamour that’s portrayed in films. It’s a lot of drudgery work, along with the wonderfully exciting periods when you discover something.”

• “My philosophy is that we should ask the most important question that’s capable of being solved.”

• “I have a lot of confidence through my accomplishments. I’m always trying to prove I’m not the worthless child they say I was.”

• “In terms of the brain, you can in a crude way think of the human brain as a computer.”

• “I’m sure our brains are working unconsciously. When you have a creative thought, it’s parts of the brain talking to each other without your awareness.”

• “You should only go into science if you really have a yearning to make scientific discoveries.”

• “It’s a tragedy for society to spend decades training people and then depriving them of work at some arbitrary age.”

These quotes reflect his combination of ambition, humility, courage, and deep respect for inquiry.

Lessons from Paul Greengard

1. Patience and persistence yield insight
   Many of his contributions arose from painstaking experiments, iteration, and dedication to small mechanistic questions.

2. Ask what can be solved, not what is merely grand
   His philosophy—targeting important but tractable problems—guided his success and impact.

3. Interdisciplinary science is powerful
   Greengard bridged physics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and neuroscience — showing that progress often lies at intersections.

4. Support those historically sidelined
   His establishment of the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize is a model for scientists who use their recognition to uplift others.

5. Humility in discovery
   Even as a Nobel laureate, he acknowledged that the complexity of life far exceeds our present understanding.

6. Legacy through people
   His greatest enduring impact may lie in the generations of scientists he trained, mentored, and inspired.

Conclusion

Paul Greengard’s life epitomizes what it means to be a scientist in the deepest sense: curious, rigorous, humble, generous, and focused on leaving the world a bit more understood. His breakthroughs in neuronal signaling opened new vistas in neuroscience and medicine; his advocacy and philanthropy reshaped scientific culture; and his words and methods continue to inspire research, teaching, and inquiry.

May his journey encourage us to ask bold but solvable questions, to respect the slow work of discovery, and to remember that science is ultimately about people — their minds, their health, and their futures.