Profession Front Page

FUNDING FORUM | GMO Shade Genetically modified organisms are growing on trees. No, they are trees. More than 200 notices of field trials for genetically-engineered (GE) trees have been filed in the United States during the past decade, with about half coming since 2000. In addition to making trees disease- and insect-resistant, researchers hope to genetically engineer bioremediation traits so trees can help remove environmental toxins. Other goals include accelerating tree growth and reducin

TIP TROVE | Ethics and the Scientist Courtesy of Michael Kalichman Because research is a social enterprise and is intended to provide a public benefit, the conduct of research is riddled with competing interests. Resolution of such interests requires that a researcher be aware of the ethical dimensions of research; seek out the necessary information and resources to address such concerns as they arise; apply his or her critical thinking skills to find courses of action that are ethically de

TIP TROVE | Pointers for Would-Be Bioentrepreneurs Courtesy of Mark Tang 1. Work with experts. Look for help and good advice early on from lawyers (intellectual property and corporate), business advisers, and venture capitalists (VCs). 2. Get FREE money and take as much money as you can get. But keep the number of investors who expect a cut to the minimum. Seek out grants and big pharmaceutical partners. You may need more money than you think. 3. Aim for proprietary technology, platform t

TIP TROVE | Staying Happy in Your Job Courtesy of Arlene Hirsch To stay motivated in your current job, you need to focus on professional development and appreciate the accomplishments and progress you are making in developing an expanded and/or deeper knowledge base, working on different kinds of projects and grants, and becoming a better scientist. If you feel that you are learning and growing, this should help sustain you while you search out new opportunities. To stay motivated in the j

TIP TROVE | When Postdocs Change Their Minds Courtesy of Gordon Keller If you're not excited about what you're doing, you're just not going to do it well. Mentors should encourage independent thinking. If postdocs want to change the direction of their projects, or explore new avenues, I certainly encourage it. However, if you find that you've chosen an area of research that doesn't interest you, I would advise you to think carefully about your choices ... and if you are absolutely certain y

TIP TROVE | Plan Your Research to Build a Career Courtesy of Julius Axelrod It can be advantageous to join a laboratory that is somewhat crowded so you can spontaneously interact with your colleagues, but try to avoid working on trivial or incremental problems that come from working in large teams. Also, avoid fashionable fields of research that are highly competitive; many problems are important but neglected. Do not spend long periods of time on researching problems that are not going any

TIP TROVE | How Women do Male Bonding Courtesy of Brigid Hogan Do what you love and enjoy, and forget about being one of the boys. Build your own network of colleagues and people you respect and admire, create a network of younger people that you are helping, and wait for the men to come to you. Be so good at what you do, that the men want to come to you. It's no good trying to be one of the boys, because the whole system is flawed. A small group of powerful people know how to manipulate t

TIP TROVE | Traveling on a Light Budget Courtesy of NIH Traveling on a budget isn't much different for researchers than when they were students. For trips of a relatively short duration, going by train instead of plane offers benefits such as less time required to check in, and more room for paperwork while en route. Sharing a hotel room with a peer can result in significant savings. Although many now use the Web for travel arrangements, consider soliciting recommendations from a travel age

TIP TROVE | Finding the Ethical Biotech Courtesy of Chris MacDonald Ethics should guide the pharmaceutical industry, but it's not always easy to determine a company's ethical track record prior to signing on. It's a good idea to talk to people in the industry, as insiders tend to know the reputations of companies. We shouldn't pretend that a pharmaceutical company's values exist only for the public good. Still, employees can promote high ethical standards by openly talking about how the co

TRAINING @ | Trundling for Money in Tucson WHAT: FASEB Grantsmanship Training Program WHERE: Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa, Tucson, Ariz. WHY: To teach investigators grant-writing skills that will maximize their ability to generate their ideas ADVANTAGES: Strategies for what should and shouldn't be done in grant writing WHEN: July 31-Aug. 2, 2003 DEADLINE: July 1 COST: $500 URL: ns2.faseb.org/careerutilities/grant03.pdf   TIP TROVE | Unleash Researche

TRAINING @ Envisioning Proteins WHAT: X-ray Methods in Structural Biology WHERE: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY WHY: Designed for scientists with working knowledge of protein structure but new to macromolecular crystallography ADVANTAGES: Hands-on experiments will reinforce lectures WHEN: October 15-30, 2003 DEADLINE: June 15, 2003 COST: $2600 (US) URL: meetings.cshl.org/2003/2003c-crys.htm   TIP TROVE | Market Yourself for Management Positions Co

TRAINING @ | The Yeast Congress Courtesy of Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health WHAT: XXI International Conference on Yeast Genetics and Molecular Biology WHERE: Göteborg, Sweden WHEN: July 7-12, 2003 WHY: Yeast are model systems for genome evolution, biotechnology, cell and molecular biology. ADVANTAGES: Workshops, run by international yeast researchers, provide free exchange and access to information and research tools. DEADLINE: First come COST: (I

TRAINING @ | Cells Seen WHAT: Immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization & live cell imaging WHERE: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY WHY: Course teaches and emphasizes the use of specialized techniques in microscopy, in situ hybridization, and immunocytochemistry ADVANTAGES: Several protocols are presented for students to assess their merits in relation to their own research WHEN: October 18-31, 2003 DEADLINE: July 15, 2003 COST: $2385 (US) CONTACT: An

TIP TROVE | Survive an Unreasonable Principal Investigator Courtesy of Robert Busch 1. Seek advice early and aggressively from friends, trusted faculty, and through counseling services. 2. Do not rely excessively on your institution to solve your problems, but do make use of its resources, such as a postdoctoral association. 3. Communicate with your PI directly in written form or by E-mail, to have a record of the matter in dispute. 4. Consider the consequences of "burning bridges," a

Tip Trove | Looking to Study Bioterrorism? Courtesy of John Noble The earlier you know that your focus will be on the policy of bioterrorism or the science of it, the better. Networking is key in this field. Many policy-focused schools allow access and exposure to the people who are studying terrorism. In this economy, the government is one of the few employers that is hiring. Speak to a military recruiter. Many military people have spoken to me about the positive experience and training they

Front Page | Defining the Dance of Molecules; How to Stem Seduction; The Prince, the Professors, and the Pea TIP TROVE | How to Stem Seduction Courtesy of Virginia Ashby Sharpe The allure of money and status has become a distraction that can divert even a "good" scientist from seeking the truth. Just the appearance of conflict of interest can damage the credibility of your research. Preserve intellectual freedom by not signing research contracts that give control of research or its public

Front Page | Education for Would-Be Enterpeneurs; Ethics for Academics; Dancing to DNA Courtesy of Burrill & Co. TIP TROVE | Education for Would-Be Entrepreneurs 1. Not every scientific discovery "deserves" a company. The product must meet a market need rather than be in search of a market. 2. It may be better to license a discovery rather than build a company around it. 3. It's critical to understand that the agenda of those funding a company will drive its strategic direction.

Front Page | Make Your Lab the Best Place to Work; Blending Biology and Computational Skills; Chancellor Clinton?... at Oxford? Courtesy of Beverly Kaye TIP TROVE | Make Your Lab the Best Place to Work Talent-focused, senior leaders create an environment that is fun to work in.... That is critical. It's all about asking yourself, "Do I get on the never ending bandwagon--its perks, its dollars, its perks, its dollars...? Or do I look to other benefits? Am I doing flex-time, do I provide a

Global Goals; Prepare for a Radiant Job Interview; NIH Budget Boost Draws Questions TRAINING @ | Global Goals WHAT: Workshop on Ethical Issues in International Health Research WHERE: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston WHY: To address current issues, anticipate potential future problems, and facilitate productive communication in issues of public health ADVANTAGES: Participants from both developing and industrialized countries can compare experiences, receive expert advice, an