Ignacio Cuervo a molecular biologist who is doing research in epigenetics. His job is to study how stem cells develop during cellular differentiation, how genes get regulated and how the cell decides and manages differentiation.
His main goal is to generate new knowledge in the epigenetics field to help better understand how the cells function. That means that some days his work may take up most of his time.
Although he spends a lot of time on different projects, he still finds time for his hobbies. When he is not playing around with genes, he is either climbing, dancing, brewing beer or improving his beer recipe.
Let’s go meet with him!
Interview Notes:
Timestamps:
- [1:01 ]– “How´s it going” – With Ignacio Cuervo
- [2:35] – What Ignacio does and what he studied
- [3:26 ]– From Spain to Norway – Moving to another country
- [5:52] – What a Molecular Biologist does
- [9:22] – Crispr – A cool project Ignacio has worked on
- [12:52] – Using stem cells to create a real heart and kidney- What are stem cells?
- [21:55] – How Ignacio came to choose to study Biology
- [25:16] – Solving challenges at work – What Ignacio loves about his job
- [26:36] – If Molecular Biologist was not an option…
- [27:45] – People who have inspired Ignacio
- [29:25] – What really is the highest mountain in the world? – Authors and resources recommended by Ignacio
- [32:32] – Will things change in the coming years? – The future of Mollecular Biologists
- [37:58] – Ignacio´s advice when choosing a career path
Authors mentioned in the interview
- Isaac Asimov, an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and popular science.
Links and other useful online resources
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) is a non-profit organization created specially for Biochemists and Molecular Biologists. It is intended to be an advocate for issues relevant to the industry, as well as a vehicle for communicating biomedical news and information.
- YouTube, a forum for people to connect, inform, and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small.
- Wondering what kind of jobs can you get with a degree in molecular biology? See this article by Study.com, which has a nice overview to help give you a good idea.
Videos
Check out this video about a day in the life of molecular biologist Aziz from the University of Nottingham:
Still not sure what molecular biology is? This video should help you understand what the subject is all about:
We hope that you enjoyed this episode with molecular biologist Ignacio. If you still have some questions about molecular biology or want to learn more about Ignacio and what he does, just let us know!
Here on 99 Career Options, you can ask to have a molecular biologist mentor you. This means that you will be assigned an experienced and trusted adviser who will guide you in the right direction and help you achieve your dream career. Try it out!
Do you want to study molecular biology? That is awsome! Leave a comment below, we would love to hear why!
Have a great day! Until next time! 🙂
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