The experiments we did during chemistry classes in high school fascinated me. My first own experiment (at home) was the electrolysis of a saturated sodium chloride solution with graphite electrodes. Great fun. The chemistry inside living organisms was more interesting than inside an industrial factory and thus I enrolled for biochemistry at university.

 

After I finished my PhD I needed time to decide what to do next and money to pay for the thinking. I asked Jason if he would hire someone with a little super-resolution microscopy experience and subsequently fell in love with his little virus model organism. Sorry, big virus, very big virus.  

 

Projects all evolve around membranes and microscopy. Most of the day is spent at my desk, trying to wrap things up and putting together a research concept for the future. I get to spend time in the virus lab when we have an engineer visiting to fix our BSL2 microscope, quite thankful that it breaks so often. Every now and then I do a little imaging for fun, but it is mostly troubleshooting these days.  

 

PI in northwestern europe (not UK) on a tenure track position with funding for 5 people who just published a completely independent last author paper. Yes, that is the rather optimistic version of my dream to pursue a career in academia.

 

Cycling, rowing, sauna. Card and computer games. Surprisingly, the last beer I brewed was drinkable so I might try a heavily dry hopped ale next.