Dr Toby Bell

Job Title Post-doctoral research fellow

Company Katholieke Universiteit

City of Residence Leuven, Belgium

Year Graduated& Degree: BSc(Hons) 1996 PhD, 2001

Being engaged in fundamental scientific research requires a broad range of skills and means that I have a number of different “typical days”. These can range from long and solitary days in the lab conducting experiments, to high pressure days at international conferences addressing an audience of experts in the field. On a typical measurement day, I am in the lab using the latest (and rather expensive) lasers and microscopes to carry out ultra sensitive fluorescence measurements. The day before this involves sample preparation and setting up and alignment of the equipment. The samples can be anything from simple molecules to large proteins or even labeled cells.

After measurements are done and the data collected, I will spend the next few days analysing the data using a whole range of software, much of it custom written. When some interesting results emerge, I will then spend time writing, preparing figures and researching the current literature in order to prepare the results for publication. During these days, draft manuscripts are discussed with colleagues at group meetings to ensure that interpretation of the results is as accurate as possible. Before all of this happens, many other typical days will have been spent - usually months before - preparing a research proposal, applying for funding grants, talking to collaborators and purchasing and installing equipment.

Having a number of quite different typical days really suits me as I enjoy the diverse activities and challenges that these bring and also that I am required to have a wide range of skills which have to kept up to date. In addition to this sense, there is also the anticipation of discovery every time a new set of measurements is commenced and a certain satisfaction in contributing to the knowledge pool. I also enjoy the travel involved and the opportunity to live overseas and work with people from all around the world in an internationally recognised lab.

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