About the author

Dan Rhoads

Dan is a postdoc working at the University of Cyprus in developmental biology. He has a BSc in molecular biology and a PhD pharmacology and biochemistry.

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Last week’s issue of Science has a book review that might appeal to any Bitesize Bio reader: First Adventures in Science. The book in question is Falling for Science, a collection of essays by grad students (current and former) and mentors on the crucial roles particular objects played in sparking their choice of science as a vocation.

The topic makes me think of how I chose molecular biology as a field of study, wide-eyed with thoughts of playing in the lab for a job. At the time (~1994-95), the promise of the Human genome project was big in the news, I was inspired by a great High School Biology teacher, and I was in awe of the idea of a career filled with curiosity and laboratory-based tinkering.

Of course, I quickly learned the annoying truth that a lot of molecular biology involves endless repetitions of DNA preps, running gels, etc. And the inexperienced researcher gets bogged down for long periods of time in troubleshooting.

But with focus and direction, I do get to live out my early idealized version of what it would be like to be a laboratory scientist. I work relatively independently, identifying questions (and hypotheses) of interest, and acquiring/evaluating the data to answer those questions. Curiosity and data analysis ARE my job, as corny as that sounds.