Dear Editor,
It is with sadness that I learned of the passing (Sunday 24 July) of Dr. Leslie Chin. He was a scientist, trained in Biochemistry and Human Nutrition. It has been many years since I had contact with him. If my memory serves me right, he served Guyana in various capacities – Government Analyst, Sterling Products, and Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation, and Lecturer at the University of Guyana.
I got to know Dr. Leslie Chin personally in my final year at UG. Dr. Harold Drayton co-opted the service of Dr. Leslie Chin to lecture (part-time) a one-year course in Biochemistry. I was reluctantly one of his students. Reluctant, because I was not a good chemistry student. I did poorly owing to the fact that I did not benefit from any prior studies in Chemistry. Dr. Neville Trotz may attest to this. Dr. Trotz was my chemistry lecturer along with Gurudutt and Guy Foreman. Later Dr. Trotz and I were colleagues and developed an amiable friendship at UG. I registered for biochemistry because I needed to graduate and there was no other option available. With some apprehension I attended the Biochemistry class and soon was at ease because of the Lecturer, Dr. Leslie Chin.
The subject of biochemistry itself provides a kind of holistic coverage of life processes. As an example, respiration, aerobic and anaerobic, when seen at the cellular, molecular and quantum levels, shows the extraordinary intricacies and complexities of the metabolic systems. So also are the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway, the glycolytic pathway, oxidative decarboxylation, the Urea/Ornithine/Krebs-Henseleit cycle, light and dark reactions of photosynthesis, the power house in mitochondria, oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acids biosynthesis., neural transmission – all of which mediated by enzymatic catalysis, electron transport, neatly controlled by the hypothalamus/pituitary/target feedback mechanisms. All were taught; Dr. Chin even referenced en passant Oparin, Stanley Miller-Harold Urey on the origin of life.
Dr. Chin’s demeanour was one of simplicity. His voice was soft; his bespectacled eyes could not disguise his almost sheepish smile. As a lecturer he was deliberate, focused and detailed. He always had his notes in his hands, prepared, should there be any lapse of memory. Those were the days when computers were not birthed. He thus made elaborate use of the chalkboard. Note taking was difficult because he would change an equation or formula by simply erasing a word, symbol or element or atom, which was impossible to do on paper during the lecture. It therefore mandated me to pay attention, listen and make brief notes, and later to visit the library more often. Dr. Chin made me feel comfortable, no pressure, but encouragement. I was personally challenged and motivated. I did enjoy his lectures and tried very hard to cope with the labs. I paid rapt attention, and found myself intrigued. I scoured the library for reading materials. Because of Dr. Chin’s presentations I wanted to dig deeper and learn more of the fuller workings of life processes, not just to pass an exam. In my spare time, I used the blackboard to outline different metabolic pathways. I repeated these many times, stood back to observe. Gradually, I began to see the dynamic equilibria, the shifts, cofactors, etc – all working in unison for maintaining homeostasis. I continued on the blackboard until they became clear — in my mind’s eye. To my amazement, I was able to write the pathways without any assistance.
I got A in Biochemistry. (Another student, Rambhajan, also got a distinction.)
How time passes and how little we remember. As a teacher, Dr. Chin was among the best. He was always neat and meticulous. He admonished us: “don’t think” when you are in the exam room; just write. This meant that we should always be prepared.
For me, Dr. Leslie Chin remains a gentle giant. He has served his country well.
Yours faithfully,
Gary Girdhari PhD
