His research and publications opened up the whole field of programmed cell death studies. But Cohen's approach to work and life is anything but morbid. Judging from the number of teaching awards he's won, his mission has been successful. I really think the human mind evolved listening to stories.
Analogies are incredibly powerful.
Cohen holds strong views about who should teach large lecture classes. In addressing that highly diverse audience, Cohen employs a couple of general teaching principles that he claims all good teachers adhere to. You have to start from the assumption that the people there are every bit as smart as you are, but their background is different. But I don't pull any punches on the complexity of it. The worst thing you can do in that circumstance is talk down, because it's not justified.