Question: what is ur tipical day at the work and how often r u in the lab testing ?

Ailsa Powell answered on 22 Jun 2011:

I spend a lot of my time in the lab doing experiments.

I usually get into work just after 8, quickly check emails and get into the lab to get started on work in there. I’ll set up experiments and then get back to my desk to do the type of research I do at the computer – this is looking at DNA and protein sequences, comparing different sequences to find common features. I will also look up the latest research published in my area. I also write up experiments too (this is less fun, but very important – we are legally obliged to keep a record of our work!).

I alternate between my desk and my lab bench all day, some days I’ll be more in the lab and others I’ll spend at my desk – it depends on how many experiments I’m doing in a day. I usually finish around 6 and head home. Most days I will also have a lunch break with the other people I work with and we normally have a coffee break (we don’t have anywhere to go so we have coffee and sit and chat at our desks).

Since I’ve started I’m a Scientist, every spare minute is answering questions, so I’m eating lunch at my desk and not having any breaks – I think it’s worth it though 🙂