Getting a PhD but don't want to be a PI? Try scientific journal editing or writing...

For science Ph.D. students contemplating potential career paths after graduation, the choices have traditionally been either being a post-doc en-route to becoming a professor versus finding a job in industry.  Now, it seems that there are more choices out there, such as the options discussed in the prior post regarding the Alternative Careers in Science Panel.  Another career path that was not explored is being an editor or writer for scientific journals.  For science Ph.D. students, there are many questions surrounding this type of job, such as whether journalism experience is required, what kind of training is preferred, and what types of positions are available in this field.  To provide insight into these questions for anyone contemplating or are curious about this career, I've researched job requirements and descriptions for two types of journals: 1. those that report research articles and target an audience with advanced scientific knowledge and 2. publications with informative and fun science articles for the general public.

The Nature titles, produced by Nature Publishing Group (NPG), are examples of journals that publish research articles for scientists.  Here, being a research editor and contributing as a freelance writer are avenues that Ph.D. students could explore after graduation.  The NPG website helpfully describes the job responsibilities.  For research editors, these include selecting the articles that the journals publish as well as writing editorials.  Freelance writers contribute news stories, either by pitching a story idea to the editors or being commissioned to write something specific.  Maxine Clarke, editor at Nature, in an "Ask the Nature Editor" forum gives advice on the requirements for obtaining an editor position.  Editors who handle manuscripts need to have a Ph.D. and a good publishing record.  Some have post-doctoral research experience, but this is by no means a requirement.  For aspiring freelance writers, an established body of work is necessary.  Writing a science blog, entering in writing competitions, or publishing in school newspapers or popular science magazines are all creative ways to do this.  Looking around at other journals reveals similar requirements for writing jobs.  For instance, Cancer Discovery, produced by the American Association for Cancer Research, is a journal with peer-reviewed articles for a science audience.  In fact, it is currently looking for a science writer to write and edit content, and for this position a bachelor's degree in life sciences, science writing, or journalism is required as well as experience in writing science-related articles. 

There are also opportunities at science magazines geared towards the general public.  Science News is an example of such a magazine, and it offers internships for those wishing to learn more about the field and gain hands-on experience.  Working as a writer here entails researching as well as writing news articles and longer feature stories.  People who have an advanced degree in journalism with an emphasis on science writing and those who have an advanced degree in science and good writing skills are both eligible.  Discover, another general audience science magazine, also has internships focused on researching and writing stories for the print magazine.  Additionally, it offers positions where interns write blog and feature articles for the website, an excellent way to gain experience with online science journalism, an in-demand field if the current expansion of online content seen for newspapers and science journals is any indication.  Regarding qualifications for the job, the Discover contact person states that a student who has just received a Ph.D. in science and has no formal training in journalism but has demonstrated interest in writing – such as keeping a blog – would certainly be considered for the position.  Other magazines such as Scientific American, a leading source of science and technology information for the general audience, offer comparable positions involving researching and fact-checking articles as well as writing stories.  However, this one has a stronger emphasis on candidates having a journalism background, requiring graduate studies or work experience in journalism.  Thus, job descriptions should be read carefully to ascertain which opportunities would be better for science Ph.D. students who desire to have a job communicating science to the public.

Besides becoming more familiar with the requirements for science writing or editing positions, it is also imperative to know how our resumes can stand out and allow us to actually be hired by science journals.  I spoke with Gaia Remerowski of The Genome Institute at Washington University, whose impressive career in science journalism, including being a Senior Researcher at NOVA, has given her insight into how people interested in the field can break into it and find a job.  Her advice is to demonstrate an interest in writing science.  Since all job candidates say they're interested, the only way to be a top candidate is to have evidence of it and build a portfolio of writing samples.  Even having a free blog at WordPress is a great way to do this.  Gaia mentions that having a science Ph.D. may be viewed as a disadvantage; the many years spent researching a very specific and narrow topic may give journals or magazines pause when they want to hire an editor who can assess manuscripts about vastly different fields or a writer who can write stories about a myriad of scientific topics.  Should we encounter difficulties in getting hired, Gaia advises us to use the Web as our way in.  For instance, we can take initiative and offer to start a blog or podcasts on topics studied during graduate school to enhance our resumes and market our talents to journals or magazines that have traditional roots in print but desire to expand online.  Finally, Gaia suggests that aspiring science editors and writers join a professional society to take advantage of resources it might offer.  The National Association of Science Writers – applicable for both writers as well as editors since they would need writing experience to be able to assess articles – conducts workshops great for networking opportunities, has a jobs mailing list, and offers free hosting of members' websites. 

It is exciting to realize that there are many options out there for science Ph.D. students, including becoming an editor or writer at a scientific journal.  There are of course requirements for obtaining these positions, including demonstrating an ability to write well in academic papers and pursuing writing opportunities such as starting a blog.  However, for those who have a passion for learning about various scientific topics, a desire to communicate scientific ideas to the general public or scientific community, and an appreciation for grammatically correct sentences and well-constructed paragraphs in a story, these efforts are definitely worth it.  

Panel on Alternative Careers in Science

         

On November 9, 2011, the BioEntrepreneurship Core at Washington University put together a panel discussion on alternative careers in science.  Panelists included Jeff Xue, Ph.D./PMC, Product Portfolio Manager at Sigma-Aldrich; Kathleen Chaffee, Ph.D., Scientific Advisor at SNR Denton Law Firm; and Mike Degenhart, Executive Vice President of Sales at MIDSCI. 

Jeff started the panel with an animated, interactive PowerPoint presentation.  He first talked about his life before becoming part of Sigma-Aldrich.  He started out in biochemistry, did his Ph.D. work on an animal model for multiple sclerosis, and studied vaccines in his post-doctoral years.  At Sigma-Aldrich, Jeff worked first in technical service and has now transitioned to SAGE Labs, a division of Sigma Life Science, which is almost like being in a start-up.  As a result, he has diverse experiences to draw from when giving the audience advice about deciding whether to go into industry.  For technical service, Jeff commented that it's a good fit for him and others who like interacting with people and don't like working with animals in the middle of the night as well as those who can withstand customers who are often rude.  He also suggested that we make an effort to get to know ourselves and our working styles before we decide; if we are willing to accept and even like the work industry bosses give us, then that sort of attitude would fit well with a job there.  Additionally, Jeff introduced us to his three different categories of industry companies to help us figure out what type of environment we might like best: 1. R&D which encompasses big pharmaceutical companies, 2. market-oriented such as Sigma-Aldrich which specialize in market-driven product production, and 3. sales which are small biotech/start-ups where the whole team is geared towards getting a product for an order.  Finally, he talked about the difference between big and small industry companies, namely that employees have less responsibility and take on more specific roles in big companies versus more responsibility and broader roles in a small one.

Kathleen spoke next about her job in patent prosecution.  She first described her diverse scientific background, which encompassed training in NMR and MRI and spanned fields in synthetic chemistry, imaging, and cancer.  She does not do litigation, but her job does include duties that patent lawyers as well as paralegals do.  She didn't have to go through law school to get her position, but she did say that a Ph.D. degree is more desirable for the job than a Master's.  Why did Kathleen choose her career?  Her main reason is the fact that she likes science and writing but not benchwork, and when she was looking for a job, her firm luckily was hiring and liked her diverse scientific background.  Perks of being in patent prosecution include the great compensation, being allowed to choose the clients she wants to work with, and the highly flexible nature of the job – meaning that she can work from anywhere as long as she reaches her target billable hours.  Kathleen described the billable hour, something very different from what she was used to in science, as billing everything you work on into a working product for the client.  Consequences of the billable hour include having to work about or more than 10 hours a day to get to the requisite billable hours and no vacation days or set working hours.  Downsides Kathleen mentioned is that she can't spend too much time doing in-depth research and learning all the details since work must be done efficiently for the billable hour and that she is expected to be available all the time for her client and has to check her Blackberry constantly.  Kathleen also agrees with Jeff that her job requires a specific personality in which you like interacting with others and making clients happy.

Last to speak was Mike, who started out as a sales rep and is currently Executive Vice President of Sales at MIDSCI.  He first talked about MIDSCI, a local, customer service-focused place that helps small companies bring their products to the marketplace through a sales channel.  His father, Larry Degenhart, started the company back in 1983.  Prior to that, he was working as a sales rep, selling incubators, but he became dissatisfied with restraints placed on his job and decided to start his own company and be his own boss.  From watching his dad go through the experience of starting his own company and his own expertise in sales, Mike gave advice on these two areas.  To start a company requires a thought-out plan, a certain drive to make it happen, gumption to get through the hard times, and passion to follow through to the end, which can be very rewarding.  A sales rep position can also be rewarding in the sense that these individuals get paid for what they do, and if they do their job well, they consequently get paid well.  Mike stressed that it's not for everybody.  Qualities for being a sales rep include good communication skills, confidence, resiliency, and tough skin.  Mike concludes that it is also imperative sales reps have the right attitude, since customers would not want to interact with sales reps with bad attitudes. 

From this panel discussion, it is clear that there are many avenues outside of the traditional academic route to consider for those who find laboratory experiments isolating or dissatisfying.  Besides the great advice each panelist gave related to his or her specific field, the general take-home message from all three panelists is that there is no consensus science background or training required.  Rather, it seems that each panelist found success by careful analysis of his or her personality and working style and then making sure a prospective job – whether it involves assisting customers in technical service, writing and learning about diverse techniques in patent prosecution, helping new products gain recognition in sales, or any other endeavor – would be a good fit personally.  

Where to go to troubleshoot protocols frequently used in the lab

Suggestions pooled from Erica Koval (Neurosciences Program), Peggy Ni (Immunology Program), and Elizabeth Todd (Department of Pediatrics Infectious Disease) at Washington University

1. Cloning:

Manuals from cloning kits often have a helpful Troubleshooting section (ie. Invitrogen's cloning kits) that includes explanations and solutions for various problems that might come up.  For instance, I have definitely encountered issues with obtaining sufficient numbers of transformants and have tried some of the suggestions offered in manuals, such as altering the insert:vector ligation reaction.

Likewise, manuals for products used in qRT-PCR experiments from various companies (Applied Biosystems's TaqMan®, Invitrogen's SYBR® Green are popular examples) include "Good Laboratory Practices" sections that offer great PCR tips to prevent contamination and RNA-handling advice.  Additionally, there are step-by-step protocols to set up standard curves and prepare the reactions that are incredibly detailed, often making it unnecessary to trouble-shoot.

Websites of companies that provide off-campus services, such as GENEWIZ, for DNA sequencing, have handy pages that provide tips on how to best prepare samples to submit, primer properties that yield good results, or suggestions to purify products. 

2. Protein-centered experiments:

Of course, there is always word-of-mouth and getting helpful tips from either the senior members of the lab who have gone through the experience of troubleshooting a certain protocol or from other labs specializing in a certain troublesome technique.  For example, I was experiencing difficulties with expressing sufficient levels of a protein; after asking a protein biochemistry lab for advice and hearing that adding a histidine tag increases production – most likely by targeting the protein to inclusion bodies more – I tried their approach and saw better results.

Performing Western blots is a fairly common lab protocol.  For troubleshooting tips, the "Western Blot Analysis" and "Good Westerns Gone Bad" sections in the manual for the Odyssey® imaging system has some helpful advice, including suggestions on different blocking buffers, concentrations of various detergents to use, etc.  Another website to look at is the Cell Signaling Technology® FAQs section (under the "Support" heading).  Here, you can find various things to try if a certain antibody isn't working or ways to ensure reproducible Western blot results. 

3. Cells and tissues:

The Current Protocols in Immunology book, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., offers protocols on a variety of topics, with scientists renowned in a certain field contributing the information on that particular topic.  A solid source of information, it is great for learning the background of a certain experiment as well as for finding tips or alternate protocols.  Growing finicky cell lines, for instance, is something detailed in the book that was very helpful for members of my lab who were unfamiliar with the specifics.  Additionally, the Current Protocols series includes topics such as molecular biology that are applicable and useful across many different fields.

University core facilities offer information on their websites for flow cytometry, a ubiquitous technique in immunology labs.  Washington University, Yale, and UC Berkeley are just a few examples of places to find recommendations on antibody staining to yield better cell sorting results, eliminate overcompensation to analyze the data more accurately, etc. 

There are multiple places to find good protocols or troubleshooting advice for immunohistochemistry.  One is the Cell Signaling Technology® website.  Under the "Support" heading, the Protocols section offers detailed instructions for both frozen and paraffin samples, with buffer components included for different antibody diluents and antigen unmasking procedures.  Another way is to go to the antibody company website and look up recommended protocols.  Abcam®, for instance, has a lot of information and suggestions.  Various antibodies include reviews and ratings submitted by scientists as well as questions others have asked that have been answered by the scientific support team.  Additionally, the website provides troubleshooting tips for immunohistochemistry, with advice for addressing issues such as high background or non-specific staining. 

Backpack winner of the month.

Congratulations to our September backpack winner Dr Bruce C Hemming of Microbe Innotech Labs. Your lab consultant Peter Cain will deliver it to you. Fill in the customer service survey and enter in to win!

Researchers using Twitter for analysis

Researchers using Twitter for analysis

The PHD Movie

Full of sarcastic, witty one-liners that accurately capture the over-whelmed feelings of over-worked graduate students, "Piled Higher and Deeper (PHD)" The Movie is a fantastic 75 min. experience.  The movie was screened at the Washington University campus on September 26^th in front of an audience of approximately 450 to 475 – most of whom were graduate students – followed by a Q&A and book signing with Jorge Cham, its writer and creator of the online "PhD" comic strip that the movie is based on. 

The clever editing and polished sound of the movie is amazingly the product of a cast and crew of graduate students, researchers, and others with connections to science.  Even the series of professors who show up at the beginning are real faculty.  The storylines sound familiar to many in the Ph.D. track.  Cecilia is embarking on a Teaching Assistant position in hopes that this will strengthen her C.V. for a faculty position.  She optimistically expects her students to be full of excitement and eager to learn.  To her dismay, they aren't.  Additionally, she is frustrated by not yet meeting her life goals of marriage and graduation.  The movie also features "The Nameless Grad Student," the popular protagonist of the comic strip, who starts off the movie approaching many professors in hopes of joining their labs.  He ends up doing a rotation of sorts in Professor Smith's lab and experiences incidents common to all graduate students – struggles with outdated machinery (as Prof. Smith would say, why spend money buying new equipment when you can waste countless graduate student hours?), pressures to produce data, and disheartening encounters with the formidable Prof. Smith who doesn't remember his name and responds to attempts at friendly conversation with comments like "Small talk is for small minds."  Overall, the movie is just as funny and relatable as the comic strip; not a scene went by without at least a few appreciative chuckles from the audience. 

Afterwards, Jorge Cham took questions from the audience and revealed many insights about the movie and his online comic strip.  We learned that he went over his comics (first one written in 1997), found common themes that resonated through them (lab meetings, graduate students' love for free food, etc.), and compiled them together to make scenes for the movie.  When asked how making a movie was different from producing the comic strips, Jorge responded that there are different expectations for a movie – audiences anticipate a developed narrative and perhaps surprises along the way, which is why he even revealed the name of "The Nameless Grad Student" in the movie, generating quite a bit of buzz among his fans.  Interestingly, the name he chose for his protagonist is his father's name.  During the Q&A and book signing, Jorge appeared to be very personable, chatting amiably with fans and staying late into the night to listen to many students' own stories of grad school when he must have been exhausted from traveling all day.  He was very sarcastic and self-deprecating; his humor certainly translates to his strip.  While introducing his film and asking members of the audience to raise their hands if they were undergrads or graduate students, he quipped that he wouldn't ask how many post-docs are in the crowd since they were already used to being ignored.  However, when Jorge reflects on graduate school and his experiences traveling around the world speaking to graduate students – as well as the optimistic ending to his movie – it is clear that "Piled Higher and Deeper" is, above all else, meant to empathize and inspire hope.  It allows us to laugh (and not cry) at the stressful situations encountered during graduate school and makes us realize that we are not going through the tough times alone. 

Our MIDSCI reporter's blog on "The Discovery and Surprises with Natural Products" by Professor Erick Carreira at the UW-Madison Department of Chemistry Abott Symposium .

Natural products, secondary metabolites produced by biological sources, are often utilized as sources of novel small molecules for drug discovery. However, biologically-active natural products, such as the antifungal agent Amphotericin B (AmB), are of little use if they cannot be produced in quantities to meet patient demand. Many synthetic organic chemists have risen to this challenge by devising “total syntheses” of natural products from readily-available starting materials. Professor Erick Carreira has long been revered in his field for his total syntheses of stereochemically-complex natural products such as Macrolactin A and Erithronolide A and his use of challenging asymmetric bond forming reactions.  In his seminar at UW-Madison’s Abott Symposium, Carreira outlined total syntheses of three natural products that associate with biological membranes, as well as structural analogs that were used to study structure-activity relationships (SARS). As a result of his work, Carriera has been able to draw conclusions about how these molecules behave in their natural settings.

                AmB is the drug of choice for treating Aspirgillosis, a fungal disease most common in immune-compromised and cancer patients. AmB has a rigid, cigar-shaped structure and works by self-assembling into a transmembrane channel, causing electrolyte loss.  Interestingly, the length of AmB and a typical fungal cell membrane are 20 and 40 Å, respectively;  it has thus been hypothesized that the AmB ion channels consist of AmB subunits arranged in a head-to-tail fashion. It has been suggested that the hydroxyl groups on AmB could be essential to the activity of this antifungal agent should this head-to-tail arrangement be necessary for activity. Thus, Carreira set out to synthesize several deoxy analogs of AmB. The synthetic strategy involved synthesizing three components of AmB and combining them to form the final macrocycle. The syntheses of these AmB analogs revealed that the C35 hydroxy group is essential for activity—the C35 deoxy AmB analog was about 18 fold less active in S. cerevisiae as compared the parent AmB molecule. This suggests that the C35 hydroxy group is critical in forming transmembrane channels. Other work by Carriera and coworkers has shed light upon other AmB moieties necessary for activity; for example, the C2 hydroxy group on the mycosamine sugar is essential for antifungal activity.

                Carriera outlined syntheses of other bioactive molecules and their analogs, such as the antibacterial guanacastepenes, and has been using his molecules to draw conclusions about SARS and modes of action, similar to his work with AmB. These types of strategies could allow for the modification and optimization of natural bioactive scaffolds to yield potent drug candidates.

Sources:

Szpilman AM, Cereghetti DM, Manthorpe JM, Wurtz NR, Carreira EM. Synthesis and Biophysical Studies on 35-Deoxy Amphotericin B Methyl Ester. Chemistry—A European Journal 2009; 15: 7117-7128

Deadly Medicine - Creating the Master Race

Currently at the Bernard Becker Medical Library at Washington University, a traveling exhibition, "Deadly Medicine - Creating the Master Race," is on display from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.  Eugenics – "the study and practice of improving humans through selective reproduction" as defined in the exhibit – is the focus, with particular attention on the atrocities committed in its name during the Holocaust.  It is a fascinating and deeply sad look at the effects genetics, medicine, and anthropology research have on the human population when science policies are misguided. 

The exhibit, which will remain in town until October 30^th, 2011, allows the viewer to learn a lot of information about the origin of the eugenics movement as well as the policies that grew from it.  From either a desire to strengthen future generations' health and standing after WWI for Germany or prejudice and fear from rising immigration in the early 1900s for the United States, "positive" and negative eugenics arose, documented in the pamphlets, photos, and videos on display.  In "positive" eugenics, public education campaigns were used to endorse maternal health or promote marriage and children (for the racially fit).  "Ten commandments for choosing a mate" is a publication in the exhibit that exemplifies this.  Negative eugenics is in the form of sterilization.  A very interesting section focuses on eugenics in America, where we learn startling facts such as in 1933, 26 states had laws allowing sterilization based on eugenic reasons.  When we arrive at the Nazi eugenics section, the pictures and videos of Jewish people, institutionalized Germans, or those deemed to be "subnormal" being studied or gassed can get quite emotional.  It is rare for an exhibit to both increase our knowledge about a certain subject and move us on a deeper level, but this one certainly does both and is worth a visit. 

August Backpack winner

Congratulations to our August MIDSCI Backpack winner Hung Lee, from Chan Test Corporation! Your lab consultant Chad will be delivering your gift to you! Enjoy!

In pursuit of a Ph.D.: How to choose a post-doctoral lab

Part III of a three-part series in which graduate students at Washington University discuss their thinking behind choices they make at various steps in obtaining a Ph.D. in science.

Start early

Meredith Estep, a post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Pediatrics, Newborn Medicine Division, has been through the experience of choosing a post-doctoral lab and can give insight into the process and her thoughts at the time.  For her, it paid off to start paying attention and looking out for post-doc labs early.  Years before graduating, Meredith attended a conference and was very impressed by a talk that was given; not only was the research in the talk interesting, but the professor speaking seemed to her like a personable, genuinely nice person.  When it came time to look for a job, Meredith remembered the professor who had left such a strong impression on her, sent an email about potential post-doc openings, but was told "No."  Yet she persisted and followed up during the next few months, and she was finally offered an interview and a position! 

Think outside the box

Erica Koval, of the Neurosciences Program, is considering pursuing a post-doctoral position in industry rather than the traditional post-doc in an academic environment.  "I want to be able to focus on goal-driven translational work while being part of a larger research team," she explains.  And, Erica believes that spending time in both academia (from her Ph.D. work) and industry would give her enough insight to make the ultimate decision on which avenue to pursue for her future career – a reasonable and logical choice that anyone who isn't 100% sure about his or her career might want to consider!

Post-doctoral research field is influenced by graduate work

Although she precedes her statement with an admission that she wants to keep her options open, Clara Moon (Immunology Program) states that she would love to stay in the field of her graduate work (mucosal immunology) for her post-doc.  Corinne Decker, also in the Immunology Program, agrees that she would like to stay in her field.  Not necessarily the specific subject of osteoimmunology, but definitely an immunology lab, preferably work with direct clinical relevance.  It is interesting to see that the choice of thesis lab potentially has long-term effects.

Funding makes a difference

When asked what the most important factors were for her when deciding on her post-doc lab, Meredith responded that "a position that was already funded" was crucial.  Corinne agrees and says that secure funding would most definitely influence her choice of post-doctoral lab.  Other factors that matter include productivity and a mentor who has time to advise his/her post-docs.

In pursuit of a Ph.D.: How to choose a thesis lab and committee members

Part II of a three-part series in which graduate students at Washington University discuss their thinking behind choices they made at various steps in obtaining a Ph.D. in science.

Finding a good Ph.D. advisor is on top of many students' lists

Haiyang Yu, of the Molecular and Cell Biology Program, knows that he is a very independent scientist.  Thus, in addition to choosing a thesis lab with cutting-edge research and a good project, he placed a strong emphasis on mentors who give their students more freedom.  Erica Koval, a student in the Neurosciences Program, firmly believes that the principle investigator (PI) is the most important factor in this decision.  "Research is hard sometimes, and the PI has to be someone you can easily meet with and talk to about both your experimental successes and failures," she says.  Erica also points out that since you'd want to be able to turn to your PI for guidance throughout your career, it's key to find someone who would be willing and able to give you advice about whatever career path you choose, someone who is "actively engaged in your training and success."  Corinne Decker, a Ph.D. student in the Immunology Program, also cites the thesis advisor as the most important factor in choosing a lab.  It is imperative for students to find a mentor with whom they are comfortable working and interacting.  Corinne warns, "If you don't get along with your PI you might be very, very miserable!" 

Small vs. large labs – both have their merits

With a positive experience working as an undergraduate researcher in a small lab, Kristina Stemler sought something similar for her graduate work in the Developmental, Regenerative, and Stem Cell Biology Program at WashU.  "I worked in a very small lab and got intensive training but by the end I was trained to be independent," Kristina describes of her lab background.  "When I got to graduate school I searched for a thesis lab that would give me personal attention in my early years … but that would allow me to develop my own questions and allow me to work on my own."  Thus, she eventually chose a small lab with a mentor who gives her attention yet understands her need for independence.  Subhajit Poddar, a student in the Immunology Program, places himself on the opposite end of the spectrum and knows that the qualities of a large lab are important to him.  In these labs, the mentor is usually very experienced, and there are plenty of post-docs and technicians who can help and answer questions.  "In a larger lab, someone more experienced than you will always be available," he says. 

What to look for in a thesis committee

As Kristina is currently in the process of putting together her thesis committee, who better to ask about this than her?  First, Kristina put together a list of potential candidates: faculty members with expertise in the different fields her project covers, professors with whom she'd like to interact, and people who could provide resources or training invaluable for her to complete her Ph.D.  And importantly, Kristina then discusses her list with her thesis advisor before narrowing down her choices.  Haiyang has gone through this process already and provides his two cents based on what qualities he was looking for.  "For committee members, they should either be experts in the field, or be very smart and [have] a broad interest and great ideas," he suggests.

In pursuit of a Ph.D.: How to choose a graduate school program

Part I of a three-part series in which graduate students at Washington University discuss their thinking behind choices they made at various steps in obtaining a Ph.D. in science.

Undergraduate classes inspire

Kristina Stemler, a graduate student in the Developmental, Regenerative, and Stem Cell Biology Program, took a Developmental Biology course back in her undergraduate institution, and this decision directly influenced her career choices.  From this, she "was instantly hooked on questions that pertained to organismal development and adult homeostasis."  Corinne Decker, of the Immunology Program, agrees that her undergrad classes played an important role.  "I decided to pursue Immunology at WashU after I had a few really great Immuno classes in college," she says. 

Research lab experiences do not always dictate future choices

Interestingly, the field of research conducted in labs prior to graduate school may or may not have an impact.  Kristina's undergraduate research appears to have made a positive effect; she performed research on topics highly relevant to those studied in her graduate program.  And, she was also part of the Genomics Education Partnership founded by WashU, in which she learned genomic finishing and annotation.  This experience was the one that gave her great insight into the WashU graduate programs, influencing her decision to attend the school and continue her investigations of developmental biology.  Corinne, however, has a different story to tell.  Her undergrad research experience was not at all related to immunology, her current graduate research.  But since she was interested in the subject from other avenues such as her courses, she decided to pursue a Ph.D. in it. 

The impressions faculty make can be critical

Both Kristina and Corinne are in agreement that the faculty at WashU is an important reason for why they chose to join the programs.  "I knew that I would receive support and encouragement from the great faculty that I interviewed with," Kristina says.  Corinne adds that she was "very impressed by how happy and down-to-earth the students and faculty seemed."  Additionally, she liked that there were so many professors in the program, and because of this she felt confident that she could join a lab in which she was interested.  Haiyang Yu, who is in the Molecular and Cell Biology Program, adds that when he was weighing his offers, the fact that the program at WashU was the "largest and strongest" was the deciding factor for him.

Collaboration and extensive interaction attract students

Clara Moon, a Ph.D. student in the Immunology Program, was highly impressed by the "collaborative atmosphere" she found while interviewing at WashU.  "I thought [it] was great, especially for scientists in training," she says.  Indeed, ease of collaboration and interaction can be a deciding factor for students looking at various graduate school programs.  For Kristina, the knowledge that she would be able to interact with other students – both in her program and in a different but related program – through student-run seminars at WashU was a plus for her. 

Life in St. Louis

Coming from rural Pennsylvania, Corinne cites the fact that "St. Louis is a very affordable but not too intimidating of a city" is an important reason for why she chose to study immunology at WashU.  Thus, the surrounding areas of any school can definitely make a difference in deciding which graduate program to attend. 

MIDSCI donates lab supplies for St. Louis schools

MIDSCI has recently donated through the Young Scientist Program (YSP) at Washington University various lab essentials to distribute to St. Louis schools.  These supplies include 1.7 mL microcentrifuge tubes, 0.2 mL PCR tubes, and boxes of pipet tips (pictured).  Some of us may fondly remember those years of high school science labs, when budding scientists began their careers practicing how to pipet solutions into various tubes.  With our inexperienced, unsteady hands, this required intense concentration!  These exercises are not only a fun way to introduce students to laboratory science, but they are also necessary for the training of future scientists.  Thus, the tubes and tips MIDSCI has provided for students will help with this and is greatly appreciated.  Jennifer Mosher, Coordinator of YSP, plans to distribute these supplies using 3 approaches.  Some tubes and tips will be given to the teachers who, by participating in YSP's Teacher Researcher Partnership program, are on the WashU campus conducting research for the summer.  As a second way to distribute the supplies, Jen plans on bringing them with her when she visits local schools.  Finally, they will be made available to teachers who contact YSP and inquire about lab supplies. 

Spotlight on Jen Lynch – Young Scientist Program's Volunteer of the Month for August

Jen Lynch is a Ph.D. student studying Immunology at Washington University since 2005.  At that time, she became involved with the Young Scientist Program (YSP) as a way to continue science outreach that she had already been involved with since high school.  During her years volunteering with YSP, Jen has accomplished so many things.  One is enhancing the teaching team component of YSP, which goes out and performs demos at local schools, by creating and then leading the forensics teaching team.  Another is serving as co-coordinator of the lab recycling efforts of YSP.  Most recently, she chaired YSP's 20^th Anniversary Celebration.  "That was my final gift to YSP and a great way to end my years of volunteering," she says.  Jen has also been directly involved with the YSP-MIDSCI partnership and is ecstatic about it.  The way she describes the inception of this collaboration is that MIDSCI, as a local company, was searching for a productive and meaningful way to give back to the community, and a partnership with YSP made sense for both sides.  This way, MIDSCI provides supplies such as teaching kits to YSP teachers and programs that are invaluable for the science education of St. Louis's youth.  Jen is passionate about issues related to science education; regarding her future career plans, she is looking to combine her Immunology focus with science outreach by obtaining a Masters of Public Health or Policy degree and then pursuing a career in global health, translating science research for non-scientists so that they can make informed decisions about their health.  "In a way, it's taking YSP's goals to a global level," Jen concludes.

Congratulations to our 700th Facebook fan

Congrats to our 700th fan Laura Baker!! A special MIDSCI travel mug is coming your way! And all 700 fans will be entered into a raffle to win some prizes, winners will be announced tomorrow.


LIKE us and we will LOVE you! 


Here is the link to our facebook business page: http://on.fb.me/kjrFDE

July Backpack Winner

Congratulations to our July MIDSCI Backpack winner Kari Brown, from the University of Cincinnati! Your lab consultant Greg will be delivering your gift to you! Enjoy!


To be entered into the backpack raffle, please fill out the surveys that arrive with your order and fax back to Linda at 636-225-9998. Have a wonderful day!


Your friends at MIDSCI

The Family Science Experience

 



Elizabeth Danka (2nd from left) and Erica Siebrasse
(far right) are pictured with volunteers and students

On July 14^th and 15^th, the Young Scientist Program hosted the first ever Family Science Experience at Washington University.  A camp-style event, it allowed 15 middle-school students from the Youth Learning Center in the Central West End neighborhood to perform hands-on science experiments with Washington University volunteers in small, interactive groups.  Some of the various activities that filled the two days include "Dinner Theatre CSI," in which participants performed fingerprinting and blood typing to identify the culprit of a crime, as well as a lesson on environmental science, where students tested for chemicals in various water samples and collected outdoor specimens to observe under a microscope.  The parents and guardians were also brought in for the second night to participate in the "Dinner Theatre CSI" and even did the experiments with the kids.  As all but one of the activities were written by the organizers, there was a lot of work and dedication put into this event.  The organizers, Erica Siebrasse and Elizabeth Danka, were very happy with how the Family Science Experience turned out and believe that the volunteers, parents, and especially the kids all had fun and gained a lot from this experience.  "We just wanted to get the kids interested in science and show them that science is very variable," Erica says.  Elizabeth adds that it was important to her to show the kids that science "can be fun and hands-on."  Although the "controlled chaos" atmosphere was perhaps a bit unexpected for Elizabeth, it is this exact environment consisting of 100% hands-on activities and constant interaction with volunteers and other students that leaves a lasting and positive impression on the kids.  In fact, surveys were conducted that asked the kids whether they hate, like, or love science before and after the event.  Students who indicated they hated or only liked science before participating all wrote afterwards that their opinions of science increased to liking or loving it.  It is currently unknown whether the Family Science Experience will continue next year, who might take the initiative to organize it, or whether it might evolve into a weekly event during the school year, but based on the positive feedback, it is clear that many people hope it will keep going.



A Chat with YSP Student Director, Kate Chiappinelli



            Kate Chiappinelli



Kate Chiappinelli graduated from Haverford College in 2007 and is currently a fourth year student in the Developmental    Biology   Program  at  Washington University  in  St.  Louis.   Kate has also taken on the duties  of  Student  Director  of  the  Young  Scientist Program (YSP) since August 2010 and recently spoke with us about what she does for YSP, volunteering in general, and the YSP-MIDSCI partnership.

Peggy Ni: As the YSP student director, could you describe what you do?

Kate Chiappinelli: I run the monthly Steering Committee Meetings and the Community Advisory Board Meetings, which we hold twice a year. The Steering Committee is made up of Washington University student volunteers involved in YSP and each month we review changes, suggestions, and feedback from specific programs and events. The Community Advisory Board is made up of YSP volunteers as well as Washington University faculty, St. Louis Public School teachers and administrators, and other community members. I present a "semester-in-review" to this group and we receive helpful advice and feedback.

 
I also oversee the various YSP Programs and am involved directly in several. This year I started a Funding Committee to explore both federal and corporate support for YSP. In addition, I am working on a publication on assessment of YSP's Summer Focus program [which has high school students working with Washington University graduate students in the lab] with two other YSP volunteers and our faculty advisor, Dr. Tom Woolsey. Lastly, I am the Co-Head of our Summer Focus (SF) program for 2011.

PN: Why did you become involved with YSP in the first place?

KC: I became involved with YSP the summer after my first year of graduate school. I volunteered to help with the Writing Course [for the SF students] and spoke to groups of students about their Summer Focus projects every week. I was very impressed by the positive attitude and talent of the students and realized that this was a program that could get students excited about doing real scientific research. I then co-taught the Writing Course in 2009 and 2010 and really enjoyed interacting with students and teaching them how to communicate science and craft their research papers. I have been involved with Teaching Teams [where Washington University students perform demos in middle schools and high schools in St. Louis], interviewing SF students, science fairs, and now administration of the program. I love teaching students about science, whether in a long-term interaction such as a summer project or a shorter one-hour Teaching Team Demo. It is gratifying to see the students' enthusiasm and confidence in themselves grow after they have done scientific experiments themselves.

  

PN: Do you think that enough students volunteer to promote science in the community? 

KC: I am very grateful for our fabulous YSP volunteers, but on the whole I do not think enough students volunteer for YSP activities. I believe that a crucial part of doing a Ph. D. in science is being able to explain difficult scientific concepts to others who may not have the same scientific background. I also believe that, as "experts" in our chosen fields, Ph. D. and M.D. students have an obligation to show younger students how fun and exciting science can be. Many of the schools we work with are under-resourced and do not have the time or money to do involved biology laboratories. Thus, we as graduate students can supplement the high school science curriculum with hands-on science experiences. For high school students, reading about biology in a textbook and memorizing vocabulary words is much more boring than actually isolating DNA from bananas with our Genetics Teaching Team.

 
PN: MIDSCI is partnering with YSP to help with the effort to provide much needed lab supplies for teachers and students.  What do you think is the most important reason for a science company like MIDSCI to connect with the community?  With your extensive experience being in YSP, a university organization, in what ways can a company potentially be more effective than a university group in promoting science education? 

KC: We are thrilled to be working with MIDSCI. I think it is beneficial for any company to become a working partner in its community.  In this case MIDSCI can use its expertise to support a program that potentially recruits more bright young men and women to scientific research, possibly even to their own company. 

Companies in general have more disposable income than universities, and can make a very positive impact by donating supplies to the schools. In addition, they can give some perspective about what kind of worker is needed in a non-academic setting.

PN: What is the top goal you hope YSP will achieve while you are here?

KC: My main focus this year is on funding. Our five-year HHMI grant that covers 80% of our operating budget ends in 2012, so we are researching new avenues of funding. We have doubled the Endowment for Science Literacy, Benefiting the Young Scientist Program this year and look forward to seeing it grow more. In addition, the Funding Committee will be applying for NIH grants and exploring opportunities with corporations in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.

Saturated Fatty Acids and SnoRNA? What a combination!

Who would have thought that Lipotoxicity and Small Nucleolar RNAs would be partners in crime? Check out this AMAZING paper by Dr. Carlos Michel in our customer's laboratory at Wash U: http://www.sciencedirect.com/s​cience/article/pii/S1550413111​002191

June backpack winner

Congratulations to our June backpack winner Laura Luecking! If you want to win a backpack, fill out and fax the survey you recieve in your orders and enter the monthly raffle :)

MIDSCI partnership with the Young Scientist Program

MIDSCI has announced its partnership with the Young Scientist Program (YSP) at Washington University in St. Louis to provide lab supplies for teachers and students.  These supplies are so critical for learning and promoting a love for science, and so this initiative will prove to enable MIDSCI to pay it forward to a great and deserving organization like YSP.  Recently, at YSP's 20^th Anniversary Celebration, MIDSCI kindly provided goody bags for teachers.  I asked two teachers, Omayma Deeba and Jeanne Norris, who are participating in YSP's Teacher Researcher Partnership (TRP) program, their thoughts on the goody bag and how companies such as MIDSCI can really make an impact on science education.  As a bit of background, the TRP program allows middle school and high school teachers to gain experience in a Washington University lab and translate that research into an innovative lesson plan for the classroom.  Since Omayma and Jeanne are currently thinking about how to best incorporate their research into their classes, they are the best people to ask regarding what companies and universities can do or provide to promote science learning and give back to the community.  Omayma, who teaches 11^th grade Chemistry and AP Chemistry as well as Physical Science for ESL students at Roosevelt High School, really appreciates having a catalogue in the goody bags.  Her suggestion is that MIDSCI could "communicate with teachers about the items that MIDSCI would like to sell at a reduced price, or with a special price for schools in which most of the students come from low income families."  Jeanne teaches 11^th and 12^th grade AP Biology and Human Anatomy and Physiology at Gateway High School, and she has great ideas to add.  "Offering internships/shadowing experiences, speaking with students about science career possibilities, volunteering to tutor, or sponsoring science fair participants" are ways she thinks companies could make an impact in public schools and encourage students to pursue science careers in either academia or industry.  "Partnering in such ways will foster community recognition and goodwill for the company, and will inspire students to pursue a career in science by showing them opportunities that they didn't know existed," she says.  I'm really excited to hear about MIDSCI's partnership with YSP, and I look forward to hearing about the amazing things they will do together!

Have you heard of an environmentally friendly Agarose?

Bullseye Green Choice (GC) Agarose is a highly purified agarose, suitable for a variety of molecular biology applications. It is refined using an advanced process that excludes the use of organic solvents, yielding a cleaner end-product with a significantly reduced environmental impact. Hence the name Green Choice. Great for all of your molecular biological or electrophoresis needs, so why not give it a try today?

We have a super duper special going on until September 2011. Buy 1 500g bottle of Bullseye GC Agarose (BE-GCA500) and a $260 LabDoctor MiniFuge 8 (C1008-R) FREE from MIDSCI.

MIDSCI introduces LabDoctor™ Mini Dry Bath

Unlike traditional dry baths, the MIDSCI LabDoctor™ Mini Dry Bath is ultra compact and fits in the palm of your hand.  Despite its small size, the MIDSCI LabDoctor™ Mini Dry Bath is capable of accommodating test tube sample sizes from 0.2ml up to 50ml and accurate temperature control (+/- 0.1°C) up to 80°C.

A convenient temperature adjustment touchpad is located along side the large backlit LCD display for adjustment of temperature. Six exchangeable blocks are available for applications requiring different tube sizes and a convenient block lifter is included for removing blocks from the unit, eliminating delays due to cool down time.

At just 4.4 inches wide and less than 4.5 inches tall, the MIDSCI LabDoctor™ Mini Dry Bath is a personal sized unit that will fit comfortably on any bench top.

For more information, contact Sara Seematter

877- 227-9911 X-123 

Sara.seematter@midsci.com • www.midsci.com 

Want a cleaner agarose product to reduce disposal of toxic wastes?

Bullseye Green Choice agarose -- a greener, earth friendly product.


Agarose, an item that almost every lab uses on a daily basis for standard electrophoresis applications as well as highly purified applications of DNA extraction and sequencing. So wouldn't you want an agarose that is cleaner and greener if you utilize it for nucleic acid analysis studies?


Most brands of agarose are manufactured with a drying process that involves harsh organic solvents. In comparison, the Bullseye Green Choice agarose does not involve these toxic solvents and has a longer air drying process thus providing the user with a cleaner and non-toxic product to dispose off after electrophoresis. The altered drying process has been shown to have zero effects on the high quality purification of the agarose as well as excellent performance in standard electrophoresis. 


What's there not to Like about our Bullseye Green Choice agarose? Give it a try and see for yourself.


Use item number: BE-GCA500 
or
order online: http://shop.midsci.com/productdetail/M50/BE-GCA500

Get rid of water contamination for good!

Have you ever wondered what grows in your lab water baths? Have you thought about how you can be cross contaminating your cell culture media bottles by warming them up in non-sterile water and bring that unwanted microbial growth to your tissue culture cells? Fear no more, Bath Armor Beads are here! 

Dry, metallic beads that replace water in water baths, aluminum blocks in dry baths, or ice in ice buckets. Bath Armor™ Beads are convenient, versatile, and can maintain hot or cold sample temperatures in just about any vessel type. These beads are not only sterile and unable to be contaminated by microorganisms, but also avoid the need of using harmful toxic agents to clean the water bath. Nothing is easier than placing your tissue culture media bottles or conical tubes into a bead bath that has uniform temperature for faster and efficient warming. Ice baths are a thing of the past; place the bead bag in the freezer and its ready to use and maintains cold temperature as efficiently as the warm temps. Out with the contaminated water, in with the beads! 

For more information, check out our website at: http://shop.midsci.com/scategory/M50/1354

and our video at: http://www.youtube.com/labarmor#p/u/1/aiHbN_BVXkg

Orbi-shaker and Tube spins -- A Perfect Match!

Designed to be used together to enhance culture densities of suspension cells:

OS-4000 Orbi-Shaker CO2 Resistant, All Environment Shaker w/ Remote Control, 115V:

• Designed for use in CO2 incubators
• Remote controllable - adjust settings without opening incubator door
• Change flask clamps almost instantly with MAGic Clamp magnetic platforms.

TP87050 TPP TubeSpin 50ml Tubes, 0.22um filter cap, 20/pack, 180/cs :

• Polypropylene tube and polyethylene cap
• Convenient 50ml conical tube design with graduations
• 0.22µm hydrophobic cap filter prevents contamination and sample evaporation
• 5 cap holes of different size for exceptional control of gas transfer.

Ask your MIDSCI Representative or call our Elite Customer Service at 800-227-9997