strassmann researchtransition2014
TRANSCRIPT
Strassmann/ Queller lab group
How to make a major transition in
your researchJoan E. Strassmann [email protected]
http://strassmannandquellerlab.wordpress.com
Read my blog! http://sociobiology.wordpress.com
Talk on being installed as Charles Rebstock
Professor of Biology
me, 1974, Costa Rica
I wanted to do it
all!
Encourageme
nt from my
father
Examples of my social insect questions
1. How does a colony with thousands of wasps
maintain high relatedness?
2. Will aggression really make a young female’s ovaries
regress?
3. Queen for a day! Who’s next?
Why and how to make a huge scientific transition
Enormity of the transition
Different natural history
Different kingdom
Different techniques
Different colleagues
Different scientific societies
Different hurdles
Different opportunities
Enormity of the transition
About two years spent studying the biology of dying cells.
Why did we do it? How could we do it?
Joint crazy risk taking!
1. We had to know about the new system and have some
idea of its potential
2. We had to have some impetus to explore
A. Feeling a desire for something new
B. Student needing help with choosing the next project
3. We needed a hook that made the new field enticing
The genome meant we could get genetic markers – microsatellites-easily.
4. When we began exploring, we found a friendly community
5. When we got close we got both an offer and a push
Dennis Welker, Utah State University
Push
Co
mm
un
ity
Ho
ok
Imp
etu
s
Kn
ow
led
ge
Genetically different clones combine in fruiting bodies and some contribute less
to sterile stalk than to living spore
24 slugs from plates with both clones
51
Clo
ne 1
201510
Clo
ne 2
C
AG
T
Nearly two years studying dying cells as we struggled to become microbiologists
What kept us going?
1. Continuing interesting questions1. Is there conflict in chimeras?
2. Do they recognize kin?
3. Can we change their social structure under experimental evolution?
What kept us going?
1. Continuing interesting questions
2. Students interested in the work
What kept us going?
1. Continuing interesting questions
2. Students interested in the work
3. Great mentors – Richard Kessin
What kept us going?
1. Continuing interesting questions
2. Students interested in the work
3. Great mentors
4. Great collaborators
What kept us going?
1. Continuing interesting questions
2. Students interested in the work
3. Great mentors
4. Great collaborators
5. Funding
Funding
Co
llab
ora
tors
Men
tors
Stu
den
ts
Qu
esti
on
s
Each other, continuing scientific risk taking, and an
eye for the big questions
A true love of the organism
Some examples of what we have figured out
1. Conflict in chimeras causes them to move less
far than pure clones.
2. Genetically different clones occur together, so competition
is likely in nature
3. There are symbiotic social amoeba bacteria
interactions
What else has our group done?
http://strassmannandquellerlab.wordpress.com
What else has our group done?Ask them!
http://strassmannandquellerlab.wordpress.com
Less teamwork, a single stone covers the opening
With teamwork, a glorious arch!
What’s next?
What’s next? The next generations of Wash U postdocs, grad
students, and undergraduates!
