Lab Schedule & Holidays

I don’t enjoy enforcing work-hours, but I surely expect to get the work done! Reasonably flexible hours should not impede you from completing a great PhD/Postdoc! BUT, there are no short-cuts when it comes to scientific breakthroughs. It takes time to do good research at the bench. Even when you're at home or on a stroll, it takes time to think about your project. It is also crucial to discuss your research with your peers and mentors. I expect you to look for your physical and mental wellbeing. This entails developing solid habits and keeping a healthy work/life balance.

If I notice that work productivity is lagging, or if something is preventing you from getting work done, you need to talk to me. We will find a path forward.

I believe you will be more efficient if your schedule overlaps with other lab-mates. I understand that some people are more productive in the morning or evening and may prefer a more asynchronous schedule - that’s okay with me. Please let me know if you are away for more than a few days. Also, it is a good practice to let your lab-mates know.

Weekly reports are due on Monday morning. Group Meetings on Monday evenings (3:30pm). JC and project discussions alternately - Fridays (3:30pm).

Lab ethics, culture, notebook & records

CULTURE: Science is best-performed in an environment free from harassment, prejudices and fear. I expect each and every member of the lab to treat others with respect. A good idea can come from anyone. Everyone should feel entitled to speak up, state an opinion, and/or ask a question - no matter the unpopularity of the views, as long as it is scientifically sound.

INTEGRITY: WE NEVER MANIPULATE DATA! No matter whether that was the expected result or the most likely outcome. We follow the standard guidelines of individual experiments and stick to the norms of the field.

Be aware about plagiarism and the fact that you can self-plagiarize. Caution is the key; if you are using any published text, there is a good chance that you are plagiarizing, even if it is your own text, published previously.

PROJECT OWNERSHIP: I am here to guide and help, no matter the circumstances. But, I expect you to develop your own project. Early in your tenure, I will give you ideas and sometimes, preliminary results that I think can be developed into good projects (thesis-project or otherwise). But then it is yours! You will need to undertake your own literature-reviews and think about the ideal experiments and best directions to propel the project. I anticipate that you, not me, will rapidly become the lab's authority on the topic. That is the goal, and we I will have regular discussions towards you achieving that goal.

NOTEBOOKS: Please use the Labarchives for your notebook and keep it updated on a weekly basis. Using a scratchpad is okay for the day’s work, but it is mandatory to keep a meticulous record of your experiments (“I purified proteins” or “I did enzyme assays” is completely unacceptable). I enjoy the old-school bound notebooks for everything. If you are like me, take a picture and put it into Labarchives. Scores of scientific disputes have been settled by lab-notebooks. And, trust me, that is our only shield against claims of misconduct. On a lighter note, that also ensures recapitulation when you stumble across a truly amazing yet unexpected result.

We maintain a well-ordered numbered system of -80 and -20 boxes, which we can explain to you and that remains shared in the Lab’s drive for easy access and updates. Be specific with you annotations - you will certainly forget if the his-tag is in the C-terminus or the N-terminus in a year.

We keep a whole host of other documents in the drive - including, biosafety guidelines, protocols, etc. Please maintain your own diligence.

LAB-DUTIES: Your lab is a truly personalized environment. With time you will bonds you have made. Keep your space tidy and contained as a show of respect for others and also to earn the much needed respect of academia. Don’t take over multiple benches/desks, even if nobody is using them. No one person’s project or time is more important than any others. Shared equipments must be cleaned and left in a condition so that anyone else can use it immediately afterwards. Doing lab-duties in a timely manner, will pay you in the long-run, when good-words would count for your lab-citizenship. If someone is not doing their lab job, don’t do it for them, but instead ask them to do it. If that doesn’t work, talk to me. Being a good lab-mate is more than being productive, and yes, every PI takes a note of that. When reagents and stocks are running low, please put them on the list.

COMMUNICATION: Apart from group meetings we should have 1-on-1 meetings. If you come with a plan of discussion and questions, it will be immensely productive. Same goes for group meetings. Would you want someone to review your draft of the grant or the manuscript? Share with us - we will help. I expect that every member of the lab participates in lab meeting. If you are confused, ask a question. THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS!

If you want to meet outside these times, just shoot me an email!

If you are stuck with something, first look it up and try to solve it yourself - that’s why it is called ‘research’. But also, be a good judge of time spent - don’t devote an entire week in finding something trivial - ask someone, including me.

But at the end of the day, this is a research group. Which means, experienced members will need to help junior members on a regular basis. Please remember that you have not learnt everything, and might need help in the future, and also the fact that when you were junior scientist, someone took the time to teach you things too! Please be courteous and return the favour.

Expectations from Raktim

TBD by the current lab-mamebers