--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instead of studying what biology has…" description: "\"Instead of studying what biology has already made, we have to imagine what biology could make. You can say, 'Oh, I want a cure for cancer,' but that do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/frances-arnold-5774_biology_instead-of-studying-what-biology-has-alr_64254.jpg" --- # Instead of studying what biology has already made, we have… ![“Instead of studying what biology has already made, we have to imagine what biology could make. You can say, 'Oh, I want a cure for cancer,' but that doesn't tell you what evolutionary pathway will take you from here to there. What are the intermediate steps?” quote by Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/frances-arnold-5774_biology_instead-of-studying-what-biology-has-alr_64254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/frances-arnold-5774_biology_instead-of-studying-what-biology-has-alr_64254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/frances-arnold-5774_biology_instead-of-studying-what-biology-has-alr_64254.jpg) > “Instead of studying what biology has already made, we have to imagine what biology could make. You can say, 'Oh, I want a cure for cancer,' but that doesn't tell you what evolutionary pathway will take you from here to there. What are the intermediate steps?” [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote urges a shift from merely analyzing existing biological systems to creatively envisioning future biological possibilities, emphasizing the need to map evolutionary pathways and intermediate steps toward desired outcomes like cures. **In simple terms:** Encourages proactive, imaginative bioengineering. Key Takeaway Focus on designing evolutionary routes. Themes Innovation Biology Future Thinking Problem Solving Evolutionary Design Mood Curiosity Optimism Type Inspirational Scientific When to use this quote - Drug discovery planning - Designing new enzymes - Strategic research roadmaps Key Concepts Synthetic Biology Evolutionary Pathways Creative Design Practical Applications - Guiding research agendas - Formulating stepwise development plans Questions to Reflect On - What intermediate mechanisms could bridge current knowledge to a cure? - How can we systematically explore evolutionary possibilities? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Biology Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology-imagine-862018/) [Biology Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology-make-862016/) [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Evolutionary Pathway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolutionary-pathway-862019/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-biology-862017/) [Pathway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pathway/) [Studying Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studying-biology-862020/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [Evolution makes biology make sense. And if you don't teach your students the evolutionary core of biology, you're making it harder for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenie-scott/evolution-makes-biology-make-sense-and-if-you-don-t-teach-your/) [Eugenie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugenie-scott/) > [The purpose of our journey on this precious Earth is now to align our personalities with our souls and the souls of others. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/the-purpose-of-our-journey-on-this-precious-earth-is-now-to-align-our/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [“It's a lot like a biology study date,' I told my reflection nonchalantly. 'Only... Without the biology and studying.' Biology study date...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/it-s-a-lot-like-a-biology-study-date-i-told-my-reflection/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Originally, I was in high school, and I was studying biology, and I got really interested in the field of medicine. And then, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-varshavski/originally-i-was-in-high-school-and-i-was-studying-biology-and-i-got/) [Mikhail Varshavski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-varshavski/) > [“The pathways of hell are hardly foreign; we shall end up there one day if we tarry too long. From a passageway to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/the-pathways-of-hell-are-hardly-foreign-we-shall-end-up-there-one-day/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) > [When you start to care and think more about someone than yourself. 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You just can't do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/it-is-clear-to-me-that-creating-a-pathway-for-decryption-only-for/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [I don't want stuff that's compromising to me as a person, but as long as it has a pathway to redemption and has meaning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harney/i-don-t-want-stuff-that-s-compromising-to-me-as-a-person-but-as-long/) [Michael Harney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harney/) > [Content is not the pathway to great deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/content-is-not-the-pathway-to-great-deeds/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [The wonderful thing about maths is it's a totally logical subject, and a pathway has been marked out. I think a lot of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-du-sautoy/the-wonderful-thing-about-maths-is-it-s-a-totally-logical-subject-and/) [Marcus du Sautoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-du-sautoy/) > [As a mayor, my instinct is to really think about how to get something done and not to make the promise unless you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/as-a-mayor-my-instinct-is-to-really-think-about-how-to-get-something/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [“Life is messy. Grit and grace come at us fast, side by side. Sometimes the grit becomes overwhelming and diminishes our spirit. What’s good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-e-rainey/life-is-messy-grit-and-grace-come-at-us-fast-side-by-side-sometimes/) [Sharon E. Rainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-e-rainey/) > [Many are obstinate with regard to the pathway once they have set upon it, few with regard to the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/many-are-obstinate-with-regard-to-the-pathway-once-they-have-set-upon/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The pathway to enlightenment is happiness. It doesn't really matter if you're successful, if you're in prison, if you're dying - if you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-pathway-to-enlightenment-is-happiness-it-doesn-t-really-matter-if/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Frances Arnold > [The real frontier is making these hybrid systems where you expand the capabilities of biology with chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/the-real-frontier-is-making-these-hybrid-systems-where-you-expand-the/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [We are going to see a steady stream, I predict, of Nobel prizes coming out of chemistry and given to women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/we-are-going-to-see-a-steady-stream-i-predict-of-nobel-prizes-coming/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I decided that I wanted to become an engineer of the biological world, specifically a protein engineer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-decided-that-i-wanted-to-become-an-engineer-of-the-biological-world/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [There's plenty of ordinary Nobel laureates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/there-s-plenty-of-ordinary-nobel-laureates/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [When I started engineering proteins I didn't know how hard it would be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/when-i-started-engineering-proteins-i-didn-t-know-how-hard-it-would-be/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I get these students who come in and say, I want to help people. 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Men were my role models - there's nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-was-used-to-being-the-only-woman-in-everything-i-didn-t-even-think/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I feel a responsibility to encourage everyone to excel in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-feel-a-responsibility-to-encourage-everyone-to-excel-in-science/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [To survive and even thrive in a changing world, nature offers another great lesson: the survivors are those who at the least adapt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/to-survive-and-even-thrive-in-a-changing-world-nature-offers-another/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [Enzymes are masters of chemistry. They evolved over billions of years to perform specific biological functions. They make complex materials with virtually no waste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/enzymes-are-masters-of-chemistry-they-evolved-over-billions-of-years/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [This innovation machine that's evolution, we can use it to do all sorts of interesting things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/this-innovation-machine-that-s-evolution-we-can-use-it-to-do-all/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [Cellulose has physical and chemical properties that make it difficult to access and difficult to break down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/cellulose-has-physical-and-chemical-properties-that-make-it-difficult/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [Silicon-based life on Earth doesn't make sense, but perhaps it would in some totally different environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/silicon-based-life-on-earth-doesn-t-make-sense-but-perhaps-it-would/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) [Explore all 100 Frances Arnold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) ## More Biology quotes > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/) [Hideaki Sena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideaki-sena/) > [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [“A note of caution: epigenetics is also on the verge of transforming into a dangerous idea. Epigenetic modifications of genes can potentially superpose historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-note-of-caution-epigenetics-is-also-on-the-verge-of-transforming/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. 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