Recombinant Protein Expression

[4X4MD]

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So I'm starting a position in a research lab, primarily focusing on recombinant protein expression, at least initially. What can you fellow researchers tell me about this area, and how likely am I to be able to work on a published paper or relate my research to medicine. i know this is not required obviously, but id like to think that i can relate it to med during my independent research (insulin is made this way; cool topic)

also, my mentor is very cool and down to earth and she really wants me to expand my mind while working for her. she really wants me to be able to contribute my own ideas and interests to the group, but i am also her first undergrad

thoughts/opinions😀😀

 

[bigman225]

So I'm starting a position in a research lab, primarily focusing on recombinant protein expression, at least initially. What can you fellow researchers tell me about this area, and how likely am I to be able to work on a published paper or relate my research to medicine. i know this is not required obviously, but id like to think that i can relate it to med during my independent research (insulin is made this way; cool topic)

also, my mentor is very cool and down to earth and she really wants me to expand my mind while working for her. she really wants me to be able to contribute my own ideas and interests to the group, but i am also her first undergrad

thoughts/opinions😀😀

recombinant protein expression is a standard lab technique. it is not really an "area" of science, there isn't enough information in your post to determine whether or not your work is likely to result in publication. for example a protein might be expressed via plasmid in e. coli translationally fused to gluthathione-s-transferase and isolated using glutathione-conjugated beads or a column. my guess is you are going to need to show you can quickly master a commonly used technique like this before getting your own project. you will not be getting a first author paper just doing techniques but everyone starts somewhere.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

depends on your field... but getting good published research with basic science is rather difficult

 

[4X4MD]

recombinant protein expression is a standard lab technique. it is not really an "area" of science. proteins are often times expressed via plasmid in e. coli translationally fused to gluthathione-s-transferase and isolated using glutathione-conjugated beads or a column. my guess is you are going to need to show you can master a technique like this before getting your own project

right but i believe she is working on experimental procedures to increase yield, etc.

she is also an NMR specialist

thats all i really know

my knowledge is somewhat limited🙁

 

[brygguy1]

right but i believe she is working on experimental procedures to increase yield, etc.

she is also an NMR specialist

thats all i really know

my knowledge is somewhat limited🙁

My guess would be that the recombinant protein expression work itself is probably not publishable, but may lead in to a project that can be published.

Although I do have to say liquid chromatography can be lots of fun (but bacteria stink!)

Personal experience:
-My work with purifying recombinant growth factor = NOT PUBLISHED (fairly common technique in the lab)
-My cell work and ChIP assay using the recombinant growth factor = publication in process.

 

[4X4MD]

My guess would be that the recombinant protein expression work itself is probably not publishable, but may lead in to a project that can be published.

Although I do have to say liquid chromatography can be lots of fun (but bacteria stink!)

Personal experience:
-My work with purifying recombinant growth factor = NOT PUBLISHED (fairly common technique in the lab)
-My cell work and ChIP assay using the recombinant growth factor = publication in process.

ill keep this in mind

thank you👍

 

[ShinyDome19]

Best way to figure out what she does it go here:

www.pubmedcentral.gov

Do an advanced Search, then change the drop-down box from PMC to PubMed...then type in your PI's full First and Last Name... Pick a couple of the most recent articles and read.

 

[mannyowens]

I second some of the previous post. It would be rather difficult getting a publication if your main focus is recombinant protein expression optimization. Protein expression is often mainly dependent on the nature of the protein being expressed...different labs working on different research topics find ways to optimize the expression of the individual protein they are working on. Often this is also way upstream in the research process because the real work begins once you have protein. Once protein is expressed you can proceed to biochemical and biophysical analysis, rat/rabbit immunizations, crystallization etc to acquire novel data. The research experience should be what is most important. If you find yourself in a good lab, your overall knowledge of the scientific method should prove beneficial in your future endeavors regardless of if your work gets published. Also as previously stated, look up your PI's published work in order to get a better idea of the labs research focus. Goodluck!

 

[airplanes]

Without more information about what you're doing, realistically, this sounds more like a question for your PI.

 

[FluffyRabbit]

Without more information about what you're doing, realistically, this sounds more like a question for your PI.

1+

It's a lab technique, not a research topic. Probably need to know what you're using it for before any of these questions can be answered, and you should probably ask as to what exactly you'll be doing it for.

 

[Legacy87]

I worked on proteins for 2 years. I expressed them in E. coli, purified them, and analyze their function against bacteria. If you do the first 2 steps (which take an awful long time just because you want as much pure protein as possible), then maybe u get publish (but not first author). If you do the analyzing part too, which is the key step in discovering something, then you will make a significant contribution to the project. It also makes you an expert when you talk about it during your interviews.

 

[4X4MD]

lol. i should have tried figuring out more details 4 i posted. unfortunately, i am somewhat of a research noob.

 

[Morsetlis]

Welcome to scut. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[Xiao]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

put in her name. read a couple of her recent papers (ones with relevant current ongoing projects). read a couple review papers on the topics she is working on. you are pretty much good to go.

reading helps tremendously.