Post-doctoral opportunities
Research at the post-doctoral level can be one of the most satisfying experiences in any young scientific career. Much of this comes from the freedom to really try your own ideas without the responsibilities of being in charge of a research group. Success in this environment is critical for demonstrating that you have the skills to become an independent researcher in academia, or a group leader in the pharmaceutical industry.
From my perspective, I envision post-doctoral fellows in my lab working on projects related to cell cycle control and cancer that are outside of the core areas of my lab’s research. In this way it creates a bona fide opportunity for independence, but is still within an area that can draw from the strengths of my lab’s current research capabilities.
Based on this background, when I consider post-doctoral applicants I am looking for individuals that I think possess the abilities to manage the demands of independence. I think one of the best measures of this potential is the publication of first author papers during PhD training. If you are interested in studying cell cycle control and cancer and believe that you have the ability to function independently, please contact me to discuss available opportunities in my lab.
Graduate student opportunities
Students in my lab belong to the UWO Biochemistry graduate program. There are three components involved in gaining admission to our program:
1) Individuals must apply to and be accepted by the graduate program. (Forms and
information are available by following the web link)
2) Students must have a confirmed supervisor.
3) Acceptance by the UWO faculty of graduate studies.
For most students the last step is a formality, although the Faculty of Graduate Studies deadlines must be met in one semester in order to matriculate in the next.
The main concerns for most students and faculty supervisors are in the first two steps. It's really up to a student as to whether they formally apply to the graduate program before contacting potential supervisors, or whether they proceed in the opposite order. Of course no supervisor can officially offer a position without acceptance by the graduate program first. So if you're interested in my lab, or another here in London, please complete an application.
Joining my lab
The general process of admission described above is used by most universities in Canada and it can create a confusing process in matching students with supervisors because the process is fairly random. Most students search for labs during their fourth year of undergraduate for admission the following September. I usually consider applications from individuals in January, February, and March. For me the matching process has typically finished sometime in April. I certainly consider applications at other times of the year, but because most students come and go by this timetable there often aren't any openings in the lab at other times of the year. I suspect most other supervisors here at Western or elsewhere in Canada work on a similar schedule, so if you're interested in graduate school you should plan to be actively engaged in the first two steps of admission during the winter months.
Naturally, students applying to my lab should have experience in a research lab and have the necessary grades and course background to be admitted to the Biochemistry graduate program. In addition, I place considerable emphasis on the interviews that I have with applicants to my lab. Distance of travel for some makes this impossible, so telephone interviews are possible. However, you should want to visit the supervisor's that you are considering and tour their labs because it's the best way to be sure in deciding where you want to work.
Finding the right lab
At the end of PhD training most students have had the chance to learn first hand the types of projects, approaches, and research environments that they like and dislike. This makes finding a lab for post-doctoral training more about the science and less about the personality of the place because experience cuts through these issues much quicker. For these reasons the following information is much more directed towards potential graduate students.
Undertaking scientific research in fulfillment of a graduate degree can be a real challenge. In many respects graduate school can resemble more of a job than school and it requires more commitment than undergraduate. With that said, the entire process can be much easier for both students and supervisors when the match is appropriate and both have similar expectations. Finding the right place to undertake graduate work is a personal choice and no two people will have the same opinion on how to find the right match. The following paragraphs offer a few points for consideration.
You should visit a lab before deciding to work there. There is no better way to decide where you want to be than seeing what it looks like, who works there, how many people work there, what types of equipment they have, etc. I have visited countless laboratories in my scientific career and on a number of occasions I have come away with the clear impression that I couldn't work in a particular place. It's easier to focus on what's important when you are comfortable with your surroundings. Only you can decide what will be suitable.
You should meet with the individuals already in the lab. The best way to learn about what it's like to work for a particular professor or learn about how their lab is run is to meet the people that are already there. There are many supervisory styles. Hearing about a particular lab's routine can be very insightful for deciding if it's the right place for you. Supervisors always check references, think of this as checking up on theirs. I always want prospective students to meet the people in my lab so that when they join full time they know what to expect.
Focus your search for a lab based on what scientific research is of interest to you. Sometimes this means spending a considerable amount of time reading publications authored by labs that you are considering, and learning for yourself what you consider to be most interesting. Graduate school is an opportunity to advance your professional career if it is relevant to your goals and provides rigorous training. Invariably, different schools and graduate programs have slightly different course and thesis requirements. These differences should rarely affect your choices. Most graduate education comes from the specific lab you work in and secondarily from the program in which it participates. Having to take one more course, or a different type of qualifying exam, is inconsequential to the problems you create for yourself if you join a lab for these types of reasons. Say nothing for how a poor graduate school experience will adversely affect your future.
I hope this narrative is useful in guiding your search for the right research lab.
