Researcher, heal thyself: meet the scientists studying their own diseases

TL;DR - Nature profiles scientists who began studying diseases after receiving their own diagnoses, highlighting both the personal rewards and the ethical and psychological complexities of self-directed research.

• Lived experience can give researchers strong motivation and firsthand insight into a condition.
• Studying one’s own disease can blur boundaries between researcher, patient and advocate.
• The work may create ethical concerns and psychological strain that require careful management.
• The provided excerpt does not describe specific studies, methods or clinical findings.