Comments on: On the demographics of biomedical sciences http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences Pontification without all the gritty gravitas Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:52:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Tozier http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1535 Tozier Mon, 28 Aug 2006 23:21:29 +0000 http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1535 No. I think it's different for Kids These Days. Because there's so little call, frankly, to be in the lab for 48 hours straight. That said, in some subdisciplines you still have to be there for the bugs. But generally you don't have all the support time and effort. So much. No. I think it’s different for Kids These Days. Because there’s so little call, frankly, to be in the lab for 48 hours straight.

That said, in some subdisciplines you still have to be there for the bugs. But generally you don’t have all the support time and effort. So much.

]]> By: Alex http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1523 Alex Mon, 28 Aug 2006 15:05:05 +0000 http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1523 The next generation always has it easier, but is that [relative] ease balanced by attempting to do more ambitious things, so that, overall, it's still the same amount of work ? The next generation always has it easier, but is that [relative] ease balanced by attempting to do more ambitious things, so that, overall, it’s still the same amount of work ?

]]> By: Tozier http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1516 Tozier Mon, 28 Aug 2006 12:26:37 +0000 http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1516 I personally believe the difference between the <i>work</i> then and now is simple to explain: kits and robots. "In my day, when we wanted to try PCR we had to move Eppendorf tubes of DNA in reagents we mixed ourselves, between three water baths, for <i>hours</i>..." is actually <b>true</b> for people in my cohort. Kids these days have it easy. Where "easy" is some variation of "possible". As for structural biology, I'm thinking of the inrush of people <i>designing</i> molecules, <i>ab initio</i>. I personally believe the difference between the work then and now is simple to explain: kits and robots. “In my day, when we wanted to try PCR we had to move Eppendorf tubes of DNA in reagents we mixed ourselves, between three water baths, for hours…” is actually true for people in my cohort.

Kids these days have it easy. Where “easy” is some variation of “possible”.

As for structural biology, I’m thinking of the inrush of people designing molecules, ab initio.

]]> By: Alex http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1511 Alex Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:05:38 +0000 http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1511 Oh, and why on earth would -anybody- want to do structural biology ? Blergh ;-) Oh, and why on earth would -anybody- want to do structural biology ? Blergh ;-)

]]> By: Alex http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1510 Alex Sun, 27 Aug 2006 21:03:45 +0000 http://williamtozier.com/slurry/2006/08/27/on-the-demographics-of-biomedical-sciences#comment-1510 Your question/desire seems to imply that you think there is a link between the two groups -- that the folks driven out in the 90's left because of conditions that can possibly be changed/reversed/affected by the influx of wanna-be biologists [like me ;-)]. So I guess my question is: why did folks in your cohort decide molecular biology wasn't worth their time ? [And are there really any faculty member still unaware of the existence of the second group, what with all the trumpeting about systems biology, the creation of PhD programs aimed at the intersection of biology & engineering etc ?] Your question/desire seems to imply that you think there is a link between the two groups — that the folks driven out in the 90’s left because of conditions that can possibly be changed/reversed/affected by the influx of wanna-be biologists [like me ;-)].

So I guess my question is: why did folks in your cohort decide molecular biology wasn’t worth their time ?

[And are there really any faculty member still unaware of the existence of the second group, what with all the trumpeting about systems biology, the creation of PhD programs aimed at the intersection of biology & engineering etc ?]

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