How does the stomach tell the brain it's full?

How do cells in our body grow and divide?

James Rothman realized that the fundamental biology

behind these processes are basically the same.

In 2010, he shared the Cavley Prize in neuroscience

with Richard Scheller and Thomas Seudhoff

for their work detailing how nerve cells communicate

with each other on a microscopic level.

Three years later, he received the Nobel Prize.

Scientific American custom media in partnership

with the Cavley Prize spoke with James

to learn about his discoveries and the future of this work.

James Rothman was pleasantly surprised

when you received the Cavley Prize in neuroscience.

I always thought of myself as a biochemist first

and a cell biologist second,

and I never really thought of myself as enduroscientist.

He did apply to a neuroscience program in grad school.

It all just made a whole lot of sense,

except for the fact that I wasn't admitted.

But James is not the kind of person to worry about labels.

In fact, he's explored a range of scientific disciplines.

...