Daphne Weihs
Technion–Israel Institute of Technology

Editor, Cell Biophysics
Biophysical Journal

What are you currently working on that excites you?

I am currently working on causative connections between mechanobiology and cancer or wounds and on the interesting connections between cancer and wounds. I have understood over the last few years that cancer is the opposite of wounds in many ways. In cancer, the main aim is to reduce cell proliferation, reduce migration and invasion, and minimize the cancer-cell community overall; cancer-cell invasion can cause metastasis, which remains the cause for 90% of cancer-associated deaths. In contrast, in wounds, the main aim is to rapidly close small gaps in cell layers before these progress into wounds and present themselves clinically, which requires increased proliferation and migration, as well as formation of new, stable, and functional cell layers and extracellular matrix. I find this a fascinating puzzle, learning from one system and applying to others.

What has been your biggest “aha” moment in science?

My biggest “aha” moment was when I realized that it is the completely unexpected results that are typically the most exciting and promising. Typically, before starting experiments, a concept or theory should be in place of what is expected to happen; yet, the experimental results could completely disprove it. After verifying that the results are consistent, reproducible, and not a result of an experimental error or artifact, the real excitement begins, as a new explanation is now required. One may have stumbled onto something much more exciting than was initially planned for. I have, therefore, learned to follow “breadcrumbs” and think outside the box, instead of staying fixed on the initially planned path.