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Jo Vandesompele: I laughed, cried, and recognized so many aspects, being an academic researcher myself

Photo from Jo Vandesompele/LinkedIn

Nov 2, 2023, 19:23

Jo Vandesompele: I laughed, cried, and recognized so many aspects, being an academic researcher myself

Jo Vandesompele, Director Scientific Initiatives at CellCarta, shared on their LinkedIn page:

”Do you need to demolish a building to create an RNase-free lab space?

If you want to find out, read Nobel prize winner Dr. Katalin Karikó’s book ‘Breaking Through’. I very much enjoyed listening to her story. I laughed, cried, and recognized so many aspects, being an academic researcher myself. The sheer pleasure of research and discoveries, and the constant struggle for money. The helpful colleagues vs. the egos in science. How to combine hard work with a family life. How to never give up and as a genuine stoic focus on the things you can change. The book is a great blended story of Dr. Karikó’s personal life and her tremendous scientific achievements.

I recommend the book to any RNA aficionado, any academic researcher, and everyone who seeks a better understanding of what it is to be a researcher, with all its great aspects but also its challenges.

Like Dr. Karikó, I’m also an RNA scientist and enthusiast, and indeed, RNases are not your friend when working with RNA. Surprisingly, our most recent research indicates that extracellular mRNA (e.g. in blood plasma and urine) seems well protected through different mechanisms. We can effectively generate long-read sequencing data from intact mRNA in these biofluids. Stay tuned for exciting results from Jasper Verwilt, who is ready to defend his PhD thesis soon.”

Jo Vandesompele: I laughed, cried, and recognized so many aspects, being an academic researcher myself