Mod 2 thoughts post research article


Throughout Module 2, I often felt lost in the data and had trouble seeing the significance of the results. Instead of the usual workflow of doing an experiment, analyzing the results, and interpreting them to guide the next steps, we had to follow a pre-determined path that made me feel disconnected from the research. Going through the process of writing the Research Article was eye-opening. Looking up past papers and learning about specific findings finally put our results in context and sharpened the motivation behind this module. My favorite part of the Research Article to write was the discussion section, though it was easy to get carried away with possible future directions. When I looked up one paper, their references would carry me to another, and another, and so on. Seeing the extensiveness of published data in niche topics and the endless set of unanswered questions they generate reminds me why I enjoy research so much. I definitely miss being in lab!

Having completed the Research Article, I wish I would have taken the time to read up on DLD1/etoposide/transcriptome-related research at the beginning of this module. Searching through references solidified the importance of an informative title/abstract and clarity when presenting data. While I began this module wary about the computational focus, I now feel more prepared to interpret large data sets in the future.

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