A career in bioactive lipids

Sphingolipids, first isolated in the mid-19th century, were named as such because of their enigmatic nature. Our lab work over more than 4 decades has attempted to define biologic and mechanistic foundations for this class of lipid molecules. This reflections article recounts my scientific journey as a researcher, beginning from my early years as a Palestinian born in Saudi Arabia who grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, during the tumultuous civil war. Driven by a desire for research and academics, my wife, Lina Obeid, and I relocated to the United States for further training at Duke University in 1983. My initial studies focused on PKC, leading to foundational work on its regulation by lipids. A pivotal discovery was the inhibitory effect of sphingosine on the enzyme, which sparked my interest in sphingolipids as potential bioactive molecules. This anchored my independent career at Duke in 1987, toward the then-underappreciated field of sphingolipid metabolism, leading to a series of groundbreaking findings throughout the 1990s, including the revelation that several sphingolipids, especially ceramides, act as bioactive molecules, with myriad biologic functions. My lab, often in collaboration with that of Lina Obeid, also defined key genes and enzymes in the sphingolipid pathway, fundamentally advancing the understanding of the many roles sphingolipids play in cell biology and disease. The manuscript weaves in some anecdotes and reflections in an attempt to convey to students some of the "hidden" thoughts that operate in the scientific process and the conduct of research.