29 replies to this topic

[leelee]

I agree that teaching is a brilliant way of learning! You have to really understand the topic/technique/idea to be able to teach it to others.

Try and synthesise your reading into some kind of presentation- say for journal club in your lab or department. Even if you don't end up presenting it. It will make you focus on the important stuff and really read to understand.

Also, there is ultimately NO shortcut to learning. You can lament that reviews are long, and you want answers quickly, from search engines. But the fact is that quality, in depth knowledge (the kind you need for a career in science) cannot be found in jazzy, summarised bite-size pieces.

My advice is to keep up with your reading. But also talk to people. Watch how they perform their experiments. Ask them why they are doing it such-and-such a way. Have regular chats with your lab mates and supervisors about your field. Don't be afraid of not knowing much, no one expects you to be an expert straight away and it will come, I promise.

[neuron]

Completely agree with leelee, discussion is very much important. Many things you learn just by talking to people.

[rhombus]

Dear metaltemujin,

To answer your question " how to improve your bio skills"

There are many to learn. The most important to start with is basic lab techniques. These may include:-

Basic pipetting skills
Serial Dilutions
Western Blotting Basic cell and tissue culture
Methods of sterilisation
Basic microbiology
Basic molecular biology

.......the list is endless


Then you have to learn about setting up experiments:-

Positive and negative controls
Optimisation steps
The critical path for your experiments
Time management skills
Hypothesis lead experiments
Accuracy as well as precision....i.e. your experiments must be reproducible

......the list is endless

Then you have to learn to present your research/results to your collegues....and then further afield:-

Statistical analysis
Presentation skills
What content to put in AND LEAVE OUT
Anticipating ackward questions
Looking for weaknesses in the results
Further experiments that need to be done

....the list is endless

Then if you are lucky you can contribute or write papers to go into high impsct journals:-

Again most of the above will come into that.

The most important thing I can impress on young people coming into science is the importance of which research group they join. I was very lucky in my career that the first lab head I worked for won a Nobel prize for physiology in the 1980's. This set the standard for the whole department and the post doc I worked for spent many yeras with me teaching me the basics as listed above. You can read many books and scientific papers but the most important thing is

EXPERIENCE....EXPERIENCE.....EXPERIENCE

I hope some of this is useful

Kindest regards

Uncle Rhombus

[Tabaluga]

Then you have to learn about setting up experiments:-

Positive and negative controls
Optimisation steps
The critical path for your experiments
Time management skills
Hypothesis lead experiments
Accuracy as well as precision....i.e. your experiments must be reproducible

Hi Uncle Rhombus,
I agree very much with your post. Do you happen to know any good literature for the "how to set up experiments" aspect ?

[bioforum]

rhombus


metaltemujin, on 16 May 2011 - 06:02 AM, said:

The most general answer would be, "Read, Study, Revise, Practice"

I am asking for unique styles of improving oneself and something which is more smart that reading 10+ 20 page papers on an article to learn barely two pages or more on average (based on one's capacity).

I was curious cos sometimes I feel really horrible and strange that I dont know anything in my field and I also dont know how to go about studying it

And reading more than a few papers at a time figuratively almost kills me >.<;;

Post Source: How do you improve your bio skills?
Unknown


metaltemujin, on 16 May 2011 - 06:02 AM, said:

The most general answer would be, "Read, Study, Revise, Practice"

I am asking for unique styles of improving oneself and something which is more smart that reading 10+ 20 page papers on an article to learn barely two pages or more on average (based on one's capacity).

I was curious cos sometimes I feel really horrible and strange that I dont know anything in my field and I also dont know how to go about studying it

And reading more than a few papers at a time figuratively almost kills me >.<;;

Post Source: How do you improve your bio skills?



The question is "how to improve your bio skills?

There are many to learn. The most important to start with is basic lab techniques. These may include:-

Making up stocks solutions.
Serial dilutions
Western blotting
Basic cell and tissue culture
methods of sterilisation
Basic microbiology
Basic molecular biology

......the list is endless

Then you have to learn about setting up experiments:-

Positive and Negative controls
Optimisation steps
The critical path for your experiments
Hypothesis lead research
Accuracy as well as precision.....i.e your experiments must be reproducible


..........the list is endless

Then you have to learn to present your research/results to your collegues..and then further afield:-

Statistical analysis
Presentation skills
What content to put in AND LEAVE OUT
Anticpating questions
looking for weaknesses in your results
Further experiments that need to be done.

............the list is endless

Then if you are lucky you can contribute or write papers for published journals:-

Again most of the above will come into that.


The most important thing that I can impress on young people coming into science is the importance of which research group you join. I was very lucky in my career that the first lab head I worked for won a nobel prize for physiology. I also worked for a post doc tha spent many years with me learning the basics as listed above. You can read many books and papers but the most important thing is EXPERIENCE...EXPERIENCE......EXPERIENCE.

I hope you find this useful

Kindest regards

Uncle Rhombus

[Enoch Oblitey]

I would like to add my little bit here. Like some have already said Read, Study, Revise and Practice. After doing all that, I would suggest PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and PRACTICE. Like they say, Practice makes Perfect. After making the odd mistake here and there, you will eventually get it right. For this I recommend a book that helped me during my days........LABORATORY MANUAL ON Fundamental Principles of Bacteriology...by A. J. SALLE. I hope this will help.

[laur]

Hey I can even answer this one.

 

Read alot yeah. Do the whole web reading thing yeah. Hey UTube has lots of great technical stuff. Don't get too hung up on reading journals......i mean read them of course, the more you read, the easier it will come. Science is a language. Reviews, yes good place to start, however just keep in mind that if you ever wriete a thesis they shouldn't be included.

 

BUT I like the get your hands dirty approach. Go to lots of seminars, especially the technical ones, make some ideas of your own about current projects going on around you and present them fpr a possibility to your current research. There's lots even outside your institute I bet, look em up. Talk to your boss about what you like to learn.....and grab a project suitable if offered, even if it is above your head and have a bang at it. See if you can get funding to go to technical workshops, if youre a student Im sure theres plenty. Email other scientists about stuff you are doing that they are at the forefront of and see what new things you can bring to the table....really, they love to talk about it, most are very helpful and will even give you stuff for your projects that are akin with theirs. Form collaborations.Very key, form a close relationship with your team members and members from other teams including managing staff, lab heads, division heads etc. and really talk to them. Form strong relationships with students....honours to pHDs. My favorite, technitians/research assistants, the don't get the glory but theyre really invaluable actually because they are on the technical front line and are experts in making things work and often have exellent research skills themselves.. Go to presentations given by these ppl.

 

If you are a student, apply for summer studentships, work experience (although now unfortuanately this one will be limited because of OHS regs) or a mentor program.......

 

Put some verbs in your learning and trust me it will come to you much better.

 

If you bother enought ppl you will have great support, and

[Inmost sun]

ORA, LEGE, LEGE, LEGE, RELEGE, LABORA ET INVENIES

[michael_p]

I agree that having people around you to discuss your science with shouldn`t be underestimated. And the most important one should be your supervisor. For some basic advice how to find a good mentor see e.g. Ben Barres paper "How to Pick a Graduate Advisor".

[2444256703]

well, if you have spare time, you can try a intership in some biology companies, as for me, I have to admit that I've learned a lot in such companies, you can try to do that. by the way, one of  them-http://www.creative-bioarray.com/, you can try to email to them. hope it can help you.

Edited by 2444256703, 16 March 2015 - 07:39 PM.

[venus666]

hi , dont be so upset. I guess u just get stuck. everything is changing so all of us need improvements. Reading more and practice more will be helpful. and i have solve my problem by visiting some biology bsites. Good luck .

[Michael Starr]

Try news things. Make mistakes and learn from them. Talk to peers about your science and theirs. Check out the literature (read the  paper at least twice) and forums like these. Read the manuals that come with the kits!

 

To echo other sentiments: EXPERIENCE. It takes time. Don't blame yourself if you feel you don't know enough; every day is a learning experience. It never ends. Give yourself a pat on the back when you learn something new.

[Creative Biolabs]

Hi.
I used to have the same question when I studied in university. All I know is never studying alone. Try to find a learning partner who is better than you and study with him/her. Communication will help you a lot. Thanks for my own experiences, now I am very happy to work on antibody-drug conjugates. Guess my answer won't help you.