The best lesson I learned from my research mentor – it’s all about the research question.  What are you trying to answer?  It does not matter the model system, the technique, or the experiment.  Want to  cure cancer? You are not alone in your quest… that’s what Principle Investigators always hear from new students. But guess what, you do not have to be at the Health Center on the Oncology ward… – you can answer biological questions about cancer in fruit flies, worms, marsupials, mice, hybrids, stem cells… and yes, humans too.

Keep the research question in mind whenever you are reading a journal paper or listening to a presentation. Want to know whether research is for you??  Does the research question keep you awake wondering the answer, are you that nerd who is always talking science even with your friends who have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, do you want to repeat that experiment to make it work, or do you want to try a new method because you know you can make it better?  If you answered yes, then yep, you’ve got the research bug!  Just remember… it is true what GJT says… “it’s ‘re-search’ not search.”  Jump in – both feet – and welcome to Hotel California,  “you can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave”….