Hints to smooth your adventures in biomedical research
Published:
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:
- Don’t mistake statistical significance for biological relevance.
- Reproduce key findings your project is based upon.
- Titrate everything you use.
- A time kinetic is a titration of time. Also titrate time.
- Know your model.
- Know how your reagents are working.
- Know what the steps in your protocol are good for.
- Know the genetics of your mice.
- Check the genotype of mice (identity of any reagents) you receive from collaborators.
- Know how the technical equipment works.
- Talk to people.
- Use positive and negative controls in each experiment.
- Keep up-to-date with the literature.
- Know the question you are addressing.
- Take your time to choose the right question.
- Take your time for planning.
- Take your time for analysis.
- Choose role models and understand how they approach projects.
- Be open to adopt new technology.
- Be open to question your assumptions.
- To be continued…