On model organisms, epigenetics, and strange things...

[MrMunkily]

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So lately I've become far more interested in chromatin remodeling, imprinting, and epigenetics than any helathy person ought to be... I'm running into a bit of a problem. My dream would be to do basic research into the mechanisms i.e. histone code & beyond... But the vast majority of the work that's being done on this subject is either focusing on:

a) somewhat esoteric phenomena in plant systems (i.e. aribadopsis)
b) "gene expression" as a whole, with very focus on general epigenetic principles.​

b) is fine, provided I'm willing to either pitch "side projects" into mechanisms or resign myself to something peripheral and come back later. a) seems not to be done by MD/PhDs. Anyone worked in a mostly or entirely plant based lab? Is it problematic?

In addition, does anyone at Wash U, UTSW, or MSSM know about work being done there in the ares of epigenetics, differential splicing, other similarly "weird" stuff?

Course i might get enamored with ion channels or oncogenes or something in M2, rendering this all moot... but a human has to plan the best he can.

Sorry for my ramblage, my mind is addled by fever and blunt trauma resulting from coughing.

 

[Newquagmire]

there's actually a lot of good plant work done at washu, although a lot of it is based at the undergrad campus and the off-campus danforth center (i think that's what it's called).

for a start, try looking into eric richards and craig pikaard.

 

[MrMunkily]

Well, what I'm really wondering is if MD/PhDs ever do plant work?

 

[arc1479]

Well, what I'm really wondering is if MD/PhDs ever do plant work?

You can do whatever you want to do as a MD/PhD as long it has to do with taking a crack at a biological process. If that involves using plants as a model organism then so be it. Infact, the micro RNA world (which is starting to boom now) does indeed use plants as model organisms (look at Dave Bartel's publications from MIT). Eukaryotic gene regulation via micro RNAs was found to be an evolutionarily ancient process that is shared by plants. The bottom line is that one tries to crack a biological problem using whatever model organism that gives one the best shot at cracking it. Being a MD/PhD or not being one has nothing to do with it. How deep one wants to delve (how basic) in his research versus being closer to the clinical/translational end of the spectrum is a matter of personal choice. It is not a decision that is imposed upon you by the "MD/PhD" process.

 

[Newquagmire]

Well, what I'm really wondering is if MD/PhDs ever do plant work?

definitely not as often as mice, but joanne chory told me there's an occasional md/phd with interest.

why not? if you do solid work, it'll probably help you stand out.

are you asking for md/phd mentors who do plant work?