[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 78 (Tuesday, May 17, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E715-E716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING DR. PAUL MODRICH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BEN RAY LUJAN

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 17, 2016

  Mr. BEN RAY LUJAN of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize and congratulate Dr. Paul Modrich, who grew up in Raton, New 
Mexico and won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Tomas Lindahl and 
Aziz Sancar. Dr. Modrich was awarded the Nobel Prize for explaining and 
mapping how the human body repairs mistakes in DNA replication during 
cell division, which experts say

[[Page E716]]

will aid future research into the treatment of cancer and various 
illnesses associated with aging.
   Dr. Modrich grew up in Raton, a town of less than 7,000 people in 
northern New Mexico, and graduated from Raton High School in 1964. From 
a young age, he frequently took on science projects with an inquisitive 
spirit that made it no surprise to family and friends when he decided 
to pursue a career as a scientist. After graduating, Dr. Modrich headed 
east to study biology at MIT, then moved to Stanford for his doctorate 
in biochemistry. He has spent most of his professional career at Duke 
University, where he became the James B. Duke Professor of Biochemistry 
in 1988.
   Despite the geographic diversity of his endeavors, Dr. Modrich 
credits his childhood in Raton as a key inspiration for his career in 
science. ``There was huge biological diversity around me,'' he said. 
``Within five miles, the ecology can change dramatically. It was very 
thought provoking.'' Raton is a special place where deep roots and a 
strong connection to the land are hallmarks of this community, and 
these qualities have left a lasting impact on Paul Modrich.
   Dr. Modrich's accomplishments serve as a reminder that New Mexico is 
home to immense talent. His success stands as a testament to the 
virtues of hard work, determination, and curiosity, and provide an 
example that will encourage young people in New Mexico and across the 
country to follow their dreams and change the world. Dr. Modrich has 
shown that just because you are from a small town does not mean you 
can't go on to do big things. Again, congratulations to Dr. Modrich on 
his tremendous achievement. The people of Raton and New Mexico are 
proud of him.

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