Like any graduate students doing research, there are some tough times. This is what I am going through recently. --The balance between research and family; the requirements of department to meet; the struggling to focus on only one project.
Looking back, I have to admit that I have not been very focused on my research. As a result, I have worked on 4 or 5 different projects. They are all excited projects. And I have made reasonable progress in most of them. But now I realized that to graduate quickly, I have to focus on one thing and do something deep enough. So, which project to drop?? I am struggling between two projects. The one I have made most progress and have produced quite a publication is really risky to follow up and should definitely have big impact (this is like marketing). The other one is relatively straightforward (I have to say relative) and will very likely generate some small paper(s).
Plus, the department required me to teach for two semesters --one of them has to be some kind of lecturing (like lab courses). This will definitely eat out a lot of my time in research.
I wish I had 48hours a day to work!!!
I think I probably will go with the relatively easier one so that I can graduate by the end of next year. After graduation, if the risky one has not been published by other researchers, I could continue it. (Again, this is marketing!!!)
Wish me luck!
by Beyond Lab
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
DNA for dating??
by Beyond Lab
It has always been said that it is chemistry brings two people together. Probably it is right (lol) - check out this site: http://www.genepartner.com/ .
When doing transplant, you always need to match certain genes for example MHC, but in the future, before date someone, test his/her DNA first. --Or try to steal some of stuff he used on your first date to get the DNA tested.
This is a joke. --That's all I can say.
But will the company profit? probably. There are enough idiots in this world. Only marketing matters in business.
It has always been said that it is chemistry brings two people together. Probably it is right (lol) - check out this site: http://www.genepartner.com/ .
When doing transplant, you always need to match certain genes for example MHC, but in the future, before date someone, test his/her DNA first. --Or try to steal some of stuff he used on your first date to get the DNA tested.
This is a joke. --That's all I can say.
But will the company profit? probably. There are enough idiots in this world. Only marketing matters in business.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
One gene, one disease??
by Beyond Lab
Obviously not. Life is so complicated that it is impossible for one gene to be solely responsible for one function and therefore one disease. Almost all genes identified have multiple domains (function units) with different "potential" function. So, mess up one gene would certainly have more than one consequences. This has been confirmed in many species, from bakers yeast to human.
So, it is almost impossible to predict the occurrence of one disease just by analyzing the function/structure of one gene or its product. It has to be a combination of various information. With that being said, is it helpful to analyze one gene if it is know that this particular gene (or its mutant formats) always associates with certain disease. Absolutely!. But how accurate is it? No one knows when it comes to one individual -- yes or no. Probability means nothing for one individual.
Why am I saying this? Because one company Orion Genomics just licensed JHU technology to analyze IGF2 gene (insulin-like growth factor 2) with the hope to be able to predict the outcome (progression) of colorectal cancer. -- Beyond Lab personally thinks this is not very wise. I don't know how they will promote their future product to analyze one single gene. --Most current genetic or genomic detection products for breast cancer all involve many genes. One gene? Unlikely mean anything.
Obviously not. Life is so complicated that it is impossible for one gene to be solely responsible for one function and therefore one disease. Almost all genes identified have multiple domains (function units) with different "potential" function. So, mess up one gene would certainly have more than one consequences. This has been confirmed in many species, from bakers yeast to human.
So, it is almost impossible to predict the occurrence of one disease just by analyzing the function/structure of one gene or its product. It has to be a combination of various information. With that being said, is it helpful to analyze one gene if it is know that this particular gene (or its mutant formats) always associates with certain disease. Absolutely!. But how accurate is it? No one knows when it comes to one individual -- yes or no. Probability means nothing for one individual.
Why am I saying this? Because one company Orion Genomics just licensed JHU technology to analyze IGF2 gene (insulin-like growth factor 2) with the hope to be able to predict the outcome (progression) of colorectal cancer. -- Beyond Lab personally thinks this is not very wise. I don't know how they will promote their future product to analyze one single gene. --Most current genetic or genomic detection products for breast cancer all involve many genes. One gene? Unlikely mean anything.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
personal genome service in China
by Beyond Lab
Last year my brother had chances to interact with several personal genomics companies in China. From his first hand experience, I briefly describe the situation of industrialization of personal genomics services in China. There seem to be some success in terms of marketing in this premature market.
There are about 4~5 private companies promoting sequencing genome for individuals. The most success one was established by several marketing experts. Among those are an editor China Daily news paper press, a marketing specialist (who is the president), a graduate student of Peking University (this is the only “scientist”), a novel writer, a lawyer. What's obvious from this combination is that they are good at marketing. In fact, according to them, they've sell up to 300 million Chinese Yuan of personal microarray genomic services in about one year last year. Their "success" also relies on another factor -- China has 1.4 billion people and the rich have too money to consume. Those rich people are keen to try new technology even if they don't understand it at all. This is called "fashion".
Their marketing strategy is massive media broadcasting and training workshops. They take advantage of the fact that so many people are looking for chances to make money and so many people can be easily talked into new things. So, they recruit a lot of distributors, who have to pay them a certain amount of money to join，to do the actual person-to-person marketing in hospitals and health related business areas. They are quite successful so far.
Another company takes a different approach. They collaborate with one academic organization to promote personal genomic services to children. Since children are parents' future and main focus, people are willing to pay for this kind of new things such as a microarray analysis if breast cancer related genes etc.
Still one more company is trying a governmental approach. The company director established some relationship with Department of Health of central government and persuaded the Department to develop a suggestive medical protocol for genetic testing in favor of this companies' product (one of which is similar to above breast cancer microarray). Once this protocol is distributed to hospitals, there will be doctors prescribe these related tests. How good is this approach? There is not enough data yet. But it is certainly interesting to follow up.
I don't know any company is providing SNP personal service in China as of now.
You may find some of these are special to China. But this is still the beginning of the field. Marketing of personal genome service is a challenge around the world.
Last year my brother had chances to interact with several personal genomics companies in China. From his first hand experience, I briefly describe the situation of industrialization of personal genomics services in China. There seem to be some success in terms of marketing in this premature market.
There are about 4~5 private companies promoting sequencing genome for individuals. The most success one was established by several marketing experts. Among those are an editor China Daily news paper press, a marketing specialist (who is the president), a graduate student of Peking University (this is the only “scientist”), a novel writer, a lawyer. What's obvious from this combination is that they are good at marketing. In fact, according to them, they've sell up to 300 million Chinese Yuan of personal microarray genomic services in about one year last year. Their "success" also relies on another factor -- China has 1.4 billion people and the rich have too money to consume. Those rich people are keen to try new technology even if they don't understand it at all. This is called "fashion".
Their marketing strategy is massive media broadcasting and training workshops. They take advantage of the fact that so many people are looking for chances to make money and so many people can be easily talked into new things. So, they recruit a lot of distributors, who have to pay them a certain amount of money to join，to do the actual person-to-person marketing in hospitals and health related business areas. They are quite successful so far.
Another company takes a different approach. They collaborate with one academic organization to promote personal genomic services to children. Since children are parents' future and main focus, people are willing to pay for this kind of new things such as a microarray analysis if breast cancer related genes etc.
Still one more company is trying a governmental approach. The company director established some relationship with Department of Health of central government and persuaded the Department to develop a suggestive medical protocol for genetic testing in favor of this companies' product (one of which is similar to above breast cancer microarray). Once this protocol is distributed to hospitals, there will be doctors prescribe these related tests. How good is this approach? There is not enough data yet. But it is certainly interesting to follow up.
I don't know any company is providing SNP personal service in China as of now.
You may find some of these are special to China. But this is still the beginning of the field. Marketing of personal genome service is a challenge around the world.
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