Title: The autobiography of a transgender scientist /
Authors: Barres, Ben, 1954-2017; Hopkins, Nancy
Year: 2018
Subjects: Barres, Ben,; Neurobiologists United States Biography.; Transgender people United States Biography.; Neurobiologists; Transgender people; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Science & Technology.; SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Neuroscience.; SOCIAL SCIENCE / LGBT Studies.; United States; United States.
Abstract: Ben Barres was known for his groundbreaking scientific work and for his groundbreaking advocacy for gender equality in science. In this book, completed shortly before his death from pancreatic cancer in December 2017, Barres (born Barbara Barres in 1954) describes a life full of remarkable accomplishments--from his childhood as a precocious math and science whiz to his experiences as a female student at MIT in the 1970s to his female-to-male transition in his forties, to his scientific work and role as teacher and mentor at Stanford. Barres recounts his early life--his interest in science, first manifested as a fascination with the mad scientist in Superman; his academic successes; and his gender confusion. Barres felt even as a very young child that he was assigned the wrong gender. After years of being acutely uncomfortable in his own skin, Barres transitioned from female to male. He reports he felt nothing but relief on becoming his true self. He was proud to be a role model for transgender scientists. As an undergraduate at MIT, Barres experienced discrimination, but it was after transitioning that he realized how differently male and female scientists are treated. He became an advocate for gender equality in science, and later in life responded pointedly to Larry Summers's speculation that women were innately unsuited to be scientists. Privileged white men, Barres writes, "miss the basic point that in the face of negative stereotyping, talented women will not be recognized." At Stanford, Barres made important discoveries about glia, the most numerous cells in the brain, and he describes some of his work. "The most rewarding part of his job," however, was mentoring young scientists. That, and his advocacy for women and transgender scientists, ensures his legacy.
Contents: Foreword / by Nancy Hopkins -- Introduction -- Life. Growing up -- Gender confusion while growing up -- MIT -- Medical training -- Doctoral training -- Postdoctoral years -- Starting out at Stanford -- Transitioning from Barbara to Ben -- Science. Development of methods to purify and culture CNS neurons -- Why do CNS neurons fail to regenerate their axons after injury? -- Understanding oligodendrocyte development, node of Ranvier Formation, and myelination -- Development of methods to purify and culture astrocytes and elucidation of the astrocyte transcriptome -- Elucidation of active roles of astrocytes in synapse formation and function -- Elucidation of active roles of astrocytes and microglia in synapse pruning -- Understanding human astrocytes : is there an astrocytic basis to humanity? -- Development of new tools to study microglia -- Studies of blood-brain barrier formation -- Understanding reactive astrocytes and their roles in neurodegenerative diseases -- Founding a biotech company -- Advocacy. Mentoring young scientists -- Training young scientists about human biology and disease -- Helping women in science -- Summing up -- Trainees in the Barres Lab.