SUMMATION OF PRION RESEARCH
FOR ASPIRING SCIENTISTS


I. INTRODUCTION
In 1997, the scientific world shook. Chemists quivered, microbiologists cried heresy and biologists everywhere questioned their beliefs. No, a new life form wasn't discovered and no human was cloned. In 1997, the committee which awards Nobel prizes officially recognized the existence of prions.

While scientists may be up in arms, most people are blissfully unaware that prions even exist. I believe that future scientists need to be alerted to the developments which have taken place. The following pages will define, explain and explore prions and the diseases they've caused.

Key to this discussion will be the character known as Stanley Prusiner. He is the long-term champion of prions, the inventor of their name, which is pronounced pree' on at Prusiner's insistance,^{(Prusiner Prion 48)} and the recipient of the Nobel prize. His research will be critical to this work.

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