(no subject)

[moonwise]

We have a seminar speaker who came to visit the lab today, a nice fellow from Cambridge U in England who works on dynamic combinatorial chemistry and multiporphyrin arrays. I got drafted to go to lunch with him along with two other students... and the Big Man himself. @_@

Of course, the speaker asks about what I'm doing...

and I had to keep it nice and vague because bullshitting my way through right in front of the Big Man is a big old no-no. Yes, I know what I'm doing, but sometimes it's hard to roll off a pithy blurb about what the research is.

To my relief the Big Man took over and started telling the speaker about the portion of my project that I find really interesting, namely the therapeutic porphyrins that can be used as treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

It felt really good to hear him go on about the beneficial effects of the so-called "FP-15," because it's not too often that the Big Man shows all that much interest in my end of things. This compound is a huge investment on the part of our collaborators up in Boston, who are trying to make a go of FP-15 as a drug, and it is a dear wish to me that someone will be helped by something I did.

I guess that's a defining principle of what interests me, at least scientifically; it has to be useful. There are people who study something to the last little detail because it's of academic interest. These people are important because they lay the groundwork for fundamental workable theories, and someone has to do it. Me, I'd rather use said theory to produce something that will be of more concrete use.

At any rate... I have to go look up how to synthesize gallium porphyrins. Don't get too excited, everyone. :/

Comments

[lordraziel.livejournal.com]

"dynamic combinatorial chemistry and multiporphyrin arrays"

"therapeutic porphyrins"

"synthesize gallium porphyrins"

**Breaks out his Greek dictionary to try and understand**

Oh wait, no point to that. Way over my head! :-)

[arafel.livejournal.com]

Sorry. :)

[ssilverfish.livejournal.com]

My ecology TA back in college, when asked what the relevance of studying larva populations in streams was, said he felt that he was contributing to the greater wealth of scientific knowledge, the great Tree of Science, and although his research's meaning or application may not be readily apparent, he was satisfied that the possibility of its contribution in the future made it all worthwhile. And he liked hanging out in the woods.

Me? I went into basic science because I thought it would be useful to experience a broader array of techniques in my training years so then after, I could do either basic or medical microbiology. I always like to leave myself as many options as possible. Practically speaking, choosing basic science was a good move for me, I think, and when things are going well, I do enjoy the idea that I'm adding to that great Tree of Science (though most of the time, I feel like I'm just fertilizing it). But when things aren't going well, I just feel like I'm wasting my time and the government's money. Who gives a rat's ass which way bacteria swim and how it processes the signals to know where to go (aside from my advisor)? I do see the practical applications -- we put them in our grants all the time. Understanding the bacterial behavior to help develop antibacterials that would prevent the little bastards from finding host cells during opportunistic infections, or to engineer bacteria to swim toward oil spills and break down the oil. Sure, fine. But will I ever see that? No. And I'm not enjoying hanging out in lab.

So, I agree with you... I need more immediate gratification in the next phase of my scientific career. Pathogenesis here I come. I still believe in that Tree of Science, but it's just not for me anymore...

Have fun with those porphyrins. :)

[arafel.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I will have fun (nggghhh) with the porphyrins. Turns out that making gallium porphyrins is going to be a pain in the ass. You need a high-boiling solvent and anhydrous conditions, and the end products are photosensitive. Sounds like fun, eh?

But when things aren't going well, I just feel like I'm wasting my time and the government's money. Who gives a rat's ass which way bacteria swim and how it processes the signals to know where to go (aside from my advisor)?

LOL! I knew another grad student like yourself would understand. Sometimes I just want to stand on the roof of the lab and scream at the top of my lungs, "What's it FOR?!!"

Pathenogenesis? Where are you thinking of going? Postdoc or industry, or neither? Geez I'd like a job... :)

the word of the day: Minutia!

[ssilverfish.livejournal.com]

Dealing with a photosensitive end product sounds about as fun as a kick in the face. Zoiks! Is it an efficient reaction? (I'm no chemist, but I remember certain reactions in my chem class giving crappy yields). Are there a lot of steps to the synthesis? (How sad will you be as you're weighing out your end product when some jerkoff flips on the light?)

Where am I going? I don't know... I like the idea of an academic post doc (flexibility! bowling!), but I know with every fiber of my being that I do not want to be an assistant professor. That, to me, looks like a painful extension of grad school (which has already been painful enough). So, I see myself doing an academic post doc and then heading into industry. I could also see myself going to the NIH...

What do you want to do when you get out? (Sounds like we're in prison, doesn't it? Actually, it's closer to indentured servitude, I think).

I'm really looking forward to moving on. I look forward to not feeling guilty when I take a weekend off or spend a chunk of time on something unrelated to science (like writing!). I'm tired of being in debt (another reason to go into industry) and tired of worrying all the time... What do you look forward to the most?

Re: the word of the day: Minutia!

[arafel.livejournal.com]

lol! A kick in the face, yes. The yields for related compounds look good, but my compound decomposes at high T and so I imagine I'll lose some of it. Will have to see how much the bossman really wants the compound before I break my back.

Here's what I've come to see as far as professor-dom: if you want tenure, you will have no life until you get it. This period is about 5-6 years, and the divorce rates are tremendous. Our boss was married at the time, and he worked from 7-11 every day. His wife's job was to keep the kids quiet so he could work while he was home. Call me crazy, but I don't want a job like that.

What do you want to do when you get out? (Sounds like we're in prison, doesn't it? Actually, it's closer to indentured servitude, I think).

lol! You're so right! Long hours for tiny pay. Guess we are in prison, to some degree. :)


Industry is the way I'm hoping to go; granted, the hours might be grueling there too, but I'm guessing I'll get paid more and there might be more flexibility as far as having a life is concerned.

Mostly I'm looking forward to making some money so I can do what I really want to in life, which is buy a house by the ocean and never move. ^_^