Egg & Ego: An Almost True Story of Life in the Biology Lab / Edition 1

by J.M.W. Slack

Overview

A light-hearted look at the nature of academic science, intended for anyone interested in biology but particularly for biology students who want to find out what the future holds in store. The "Egg" of the title refers to the science of developmental biology, which is the speciality of the author, and which provides the material for many of the anecdotes. The "Ego" relates to the vanity of the scientists themselves. Academic scientists have to struggle to maintain their research funding. To do this they must persuade other scientists that they are very good, and that means working at a good institution, publishing papers in the most fashionable journals and giving lectures at the most prestigious meetings. Success often goes to those with the largest egos and it is their style of operation that is described in this book. The author is a well-known scientist who has worked at both universities and research institutes. He has published over 100 scientific papers and an influential book about embryonic development: "From Egg to Embryo".

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780387985602
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	10/30/1998
Edition description:	1999
Pages:	195
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.02(d)

Table of Contents

1. The Experiment.- What we did in the slaughterhouse, and afterwards.- 2. The Greasy Pole.- How I got up it myself.- 3. The Growth Factors.- The most expensive substances in the world. Postscript: Molecular Biology, BC and AC.- 4. On the Catwalk: Publication and Presentation.- What scientists and actors have in common.- 5. The Frog and Its Spawn.- From pregnancy test to the cover ofCell..- 6. Who’s Who in the Lab.- From the candidate to the chairman, who they are, what they do, and why.- 7. Laboratory Life and Death.- Radiation, genetic engineering, animals, computers, technology transfer.- 8. The Ground Plan of Evolution.- Why all animals are really the same.- 9. Paying for It All.- Where satisfaction means unending exponential growth.- 10. The Case of the Headless Frog.- Science and the media.- Epilogue.