Of science, history and imagination

[birdienl]

I'm currently in my second week of my new PhD job and, as it goes with starting new scientific projects, I'm reading up on what has already been discovered in the field. For a new technique we will try to develop, I needed some really basic background information, which I couldn't find in any recent articles. So I was going back further and further in time, until yesterday I found myself reading an article written in 1943 by a person named A. Romanoff from Cornell University in New York. This got me thinking, who was this person, writing scientific articles about chicken embryonic development (because that's what it was about) in the thick of war time? Was he perhaps a young man, contemplating joining up the army? Or perhaps old and disappointed with the state of the world, retracted into his ivory tower and only living for his scientific projects? Was he perhaps of Russian descent (because of his name) and wrestling with his thoughts about the war and everything going on in his home country? If I was more of a writer, I could almost have written a story about this man. Scientific fan-fiction, just imagine! ( I didn't google the dear fellow, for fear of spoiling the nice image which had formed inside my mind)

Anyway, isn't it nice to think that, whoever he was, his work still lives on over 65 years later and the information he unearthed will be of great use to my experiments?



That's not the only thing I wanted to share with you today. I also wanted to ask who would like to receive a Christmas card from me? Please leave your answers and your adress in a comment (comments are screened). I'll try to find some really typically Dutch Christmas cards for you all!

Comments

[mystery-spell.livejournal.com]

It's always interesting where the world can take your imagination. :)

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Yes, I would love to receive a card from you as well! I don't believe American Christmas cards are not that great, it's just great fun to receive cards from abroad!

For some reason the screening of the comments didn't work, so I'll send you my adress in a PM and delete your comment.

[spally.livejournal.com]

You can write a novel about him as your post PhD work :P
Could I please have a Christmas card? I can send you my address in a private message.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Great, thank you!

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

A novel? Wel, I don't know if he's quite that interesting... I did just read a novel about (among others) a WWII scientist working on nuclear weapons, but a scientist working on chicken embryo's might just be slightly less world-shocking.

It's fine if you send the adress in a private message or email.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm working in a group called Molecular Host Defense and I'll be working on antimicrobial peptides of the chicken, specifically how to modify them to make them into a possible new antibiotic. We're trying to set up an in ovo model now, where we will be injecting different peptides into the embryonated egg and look what the effects will be on the chick once it hatches.

Antimicrobial peptides are really 'old', so there should be some conserved ones even in your sandflies. Defensins, collectins? Good luck with it all!

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Yes, serious stuff right! Generally, my days don't feel that much different than when I was an intern, but when I had to sign my contract and my colleagues start speaking about writing articles, then I realize: this is for real.

Anyway, you shall have a card! I just bought them this evening.