Category Archives: The profession of science

In which they don’t make ’em like they used to

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

One of the annoying things about getting old is resenting change. So when you’re a scientist, it doesn’t help that the lab environment is one of the most mutable places on earth. New technology emerges all the time, and our … Continue reading →

Posted in Silliness, The profession of science | 11 Comments

In which we fail to adhere

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

I’m trundling along here in my new lab, still trying to get everything up and running. On the tissue culture front, things have been fraught for some time, what with delays installing the carbon dioxide and nitrogen tanks, with learning … Continue reading →

Posted in The profession of science | 19 Comments

In which we’d like to acknowledge what’s-his-name

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

It is human nature to feel that you’re at the center of the universe, with all of life and experience revolving around your fixed point of view like a lazy orbit of galaxies. On a larger scale, this biased perspective … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers, Nostalgia, Scientific thinking, The profession of science | 41 Comments

In which we’re too close for comfort

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

It was always going to be a difficult relationship. We knew from the very start that they weren’t very well-suited. After all, they came from such different backgrounds. They were used to such radically different environments. They scarcely even spoke … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientific method, The profession of science | 8 Comments

In which the light bulb’s on the other foot

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

Following on from a discussion about light bulb changing jokes, I was bustling around my lab this morning, getting ready to cryogenically preserve some backups of my new bladder epithelial cell line. I was all set: I’d ordered the Mr … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientific method, Silliness, The profession of science | 10 Comments

In which truths are revealed

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

There are many things I love passionately about science, but one aspect has got to be right up there in the top ten: the transformation of a deep unknown into perfect clarity. I find it amazing that using simple lab … Continue reading →

Posted in Scientific method, Scientific thinking, The profession of science | 10 Comments

In which I ponder the new Two Cultures

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

Given the recent trendiness of science/art/lit projects, and the grant money and audience interest they can pull in, CP Snow’s notion of ‘the Two Cultures’ is starting to feel a little bit antiquated. But I do sometimes wonder if a … Continue reading →

Posted in Science journalism, The profession of science, Writing | 2 Comments

In which they don’t make ’em like they used to

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

Even though I initially trained as a virologist, it’s a little known factoid that I did my PhD in an old-fashioned Microbiology department – back in the days when “microbiology” really meant “bacteria”. We virologists populated a small unfashionable pocket … Continue reading →

Posted in Nostalgia, The profession of science | 30 Comments

In which I sort it out

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

All of my professional life, I’ve worked in affluent labs – in academic groups bolstered by multiple sources of grant money, or in a biotech setting flush with investor capital. More recently, I’ve enjoyed a generous personal consumables budget courtesy … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers, Nostalgia, The profession of science | 24 Comments

In which I move on

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Jennifer Rohn

I have always been fascinated by microorganisms and the many strategies they use to subvert the host cells that they parasitize. For me, the most interesting aspect of infection is the interface between the invader and its victim – the … Continue reading →

Posted in Careers, The profession of science | 17 Comments