Help! Should I change labs, change project, join another lab at the same time.

[Richanesthesiologist]

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I just finished my freshman year of college and I was working in a lab since first semester. I consider myself doing mostly "benchwork". Our project was to develop instant strips to test a molecular compound in patients (I'm being ambiguous to protect anonymity). All I've done was run tests to measure absorbances, manufacture the structures needed for the experiment, mix/measure reagents, and once, after reading a paper, I suggested using a certain reagent to use that might increase our absorbance rates. My P.I. promised that I will be published, but so far, all I've seen was my name as a first author for an abstract he proposed for Delta Zeta. (I honestly don't think I deserved to be published). I work about 6-8 hours in the lab every week. About a month ago, a mechanism me and my mentor developed failed as the strips we developed weren't "instant" but took 1 hour to produce results. Since then, my P.I seemed a little dejected and I can't talk to him since I'm not in town. I am planning on working in the same lab next semester, but on another project for class credit. I want advice on whether I should work on a new project or continue with the failed project. The project I was working on is on Hiatus right now and I don't know of its future trajectory. Currently, I'm at an REU in the summer studying the genetic basis for tolerance to clozapine in nematode worms. I am also interested in possibly studying addiction to alcohol and tlc in mouse brains. Currently, my options are to work in the same lab on my old project. Work on my new project in the same lab. Or work in a different lab with the mouse project. I can only choose 2 of the 3 options due to time constraints (can put in 15-20 hrs/week). I'm also volunteering about 10 hrs/week and have to devote 60 hrs/week to classes/studying.

 

[acutepox]

How interesting did you find the old project? If it's on hiatus anyway, seems like you've got your choices down to the mouse project & a new one with the same PI. I'd get ahold of him when you can to ask his vision. There's no problem with having failed or uninteresting projects behind you, especially so early on in college.

 

[mistafab]

Failures are great experiences. Chin up, buddy! Both your options from here sound good. If you like your PI and feel like it has been a good relationship, then I'd see if sticking with him on something new is possible.

 

[boogiecousins94]

Failure is a huge part of research, stuff wont work correctly/how you expect probably the majority of the time. For example I do research full time, we have a project with running wheel mice trying to replicate the results of a previous cohort (multiple pasts cohorts have shown promising results). We have them running for 90 days/3months, something weird went on and it didn't look as expected so we have to do it again, for another 3 months.

Long story short, if you are interested in it I would keep doing it. As long as you know you can do another project in the same lab than it shouldn't matter of the past failure since you can probably do both. Just pick whatever you're interested because if you don't like it regardless itll be worse no matter what

Also when they promised to be published- how many hours/semesters have you been in the lab? If it's less than a year I wouldn't worry because good data and results take time