Hints to smooth your adventures in biomedical research

Here are a few pieces of advice and learnings that (would) have proven valuable in my PhD and throughout – in particular, but not exclusively, for scientists in biomedical research in the earliest stages of their career:

1. Don’t mistake statistical significance for biological relevance.
2. Reproduce key findings your project is based upon.
3. Titrate everything you use.
4. A time kinetic is a titration of time. Also titrate time.
5. Know your model.
6. Know how your reagents are working.
7. Know what the steps in your protocol are good for.
8. Know the genetics of your mice.
9. Check the genotype of mice (identity of any reagents) you receive from collaborators.
10. Know how the technical equipment works.
11. Talk to people.
12. Use positive and negative controls in each experiment.
13. Keep up-to-date with the literature.
14. Know the question you are addressing.
15. Take your time to choose the right question.
16. Take your time for planning.
17. Take your time for analysis.
18. Choose role models and understand how they approach projects.
19. Be open to adopt new technology.
20. Be open to question your assumptions.
21. To be continued…