Students, as future scientists, are exploring the importance of getting away from the bench and into the wider world. This blog series will focus on science policy and community engagement. Read the second article in the series here. Read the third article in the series here. Read the fourth article in the series here.
As scientists, we know that most of our day-to-day activities happen at the bench, focusing on genes, proteins and cells. We’re constantly running experiments to visualize immune cells in a human kidney, quantify the amount of RNA in a diseased mouse heart or investigate neuron excitability in brain slices.
These experiments allow scientists to continue with basic science research and are designed to answer very specific questions within our research bubble: “What will happen when I knock down this gene?”, “If we add this drug, will the tumor cells die?”, “Why did this experiment not work?”.
We get so focused on our daily tasks that we oftentimes forget the big picture about why we are conducting these experiments. How can this result help to develop a new therapy, medication or potential cure for a disease?
Alexa Corker
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