Help! Can't decide between two labs!

[yash13177]

Hi friends,

I have two weeks to decide which lab to join. I'm in a neuroscience graduate program and broadly interested in neuron-glia interactions (esp. in development and degeneration).

Option 1: New faculty member (~1 year at current institution), Neuroscience dept within a research center known for having a more rigorous environment

• Research is on a specific type of glia in mice (I have some data from my rotation that would be interesting to follow up on)
• Currently has 2 post docs, 1 grad student (2nd year), 1 lab manager, and ~4-5 undergrads
  • Great environment, really like the people in his lab and they like me (yay!)
• Funding: only has startup money from institution, his goal is to apply and receive an R01 within the next 1-2 years. As a post-doc he wrote and submitted R01s for his supervisor that were later awarded.
• Publishing history (only as first author): Glia, Neuropharmacology, Journal of Neuroscience, Neuroscience
• What I like:
  • Extremely excited about glia and has many cool ideas
  • Pushes me academically (but not to a bad extreme)
  • Supportive of my mental health diagnosis
• My reservations:
  • new faculty member
  • many things unknown (ability to get grants/publish)
  • research center he is located within is undergoing administrative changes

Option 2: Faculty member (~10 years at current institution), Biology dept co-appointed to Neuroscience

• Research is anything glia in zebrafish
• Currently has 1 post doc, 4 grad students, 1 staff scientist, 1 technician, ~4-5 undergrads
  • More relaxed environment compared to Option 1, also like this lab environment
• Funding: many grants, has successful grant history for herself and for her students
• Publishing history: Cell, Cell Reports, Journal of Neurochemistry, Journal of Neuroscience, Glia
• What I like:
  • Her research is more broad compared to Option 1, I'm not limited to a specific type of glia
  • She is well-known throughout the university for being an amazing mentor
  • Supportive of my mental health diagnosis
• My reservations:
  • Not in research center that Option 1 is a part of, I feel like I'll be missing out on the more academically rigorous environment
  • I am not as excited about her research, probably because I am unfamiliar with zebrafish

 

Anyone have any ideas?? I've talked to so many people (inside and outside both of these labs) but I'm still stuck. I really like both!! Would like any and all questions/ideas/suggestions.

 

 

 

[Itai]

Hi,
I come from a different field (bio-engineering), but if I were you, there are two things I would take into consideration:
-First, if you choose to join a new lab, you are going to waste a lot of time on trial and error (basically "building" the lab from scratch). Personally, since Ph.D. lasts only 4-5 years, and since biology-related experiments tend to be more "problematic", I would avoid any option that might waste precious time. 
-Second, it is not only about how many papers he or she published and where. It is also about recent years' work. I would be very wary of any researcher who did not publish in the last four years.
However, it is up to you.

[My opinion is based on ~2.5 years of research experience and on the advice I got from my two advisors. ]

[avidnote]

Have you thought about speaking with people who have worked at those labs previously? You might get a good idea on what it's like to work there for an extended period of time.
Also, I just noted that you were based in Hong Kong. How is the situation there at the moment? I just visited last year, right in the beginning of the protests. HK is an amazing place to visit - wish you the best!

[Gatech_ST]

I would personally choose a more relaxed environment over rigorous one, and personally I would avoid new lab.