Applying outside your current research area??????

[maggiemay]

I am a 2nd year masters student and will be applying to phd programs this fall. I have experience in plant taxonomy and phylogenetics (as an undergrad research project) and currently my masters thesis involves Cyanobacteria in lakes (so mainly a microbial ecology sort of study using molecular techiniques).

 

I am really more interested in the molecular side of biology as opposed to the ecology side. I have always used molecular tools and techniques for all of my research. I am worried that if I apply to Cell and Molecular or biomedical programs that they will not consider me to be "molecular" enough since my past reasearch has been on the edge of ecology. Any thoughts???? Also, I have never really worked with cell culturing of cellular pathways and I am worried that Molecular and biomedical programs will expect that their applicants have all kinds of cellular experience. Any thoughts or advice would be great!

 

 

 

 

[mop]

Don't worry about it, the more important thing is that you have research experience and know how to do science in general.  A PhD is actually a great place to switch your research interests, and people may switch again for their postdoc.