Hello everyone,

I am a Phd student in immunology, have been 1 month since I arrived here..
My motivation is high in the beginning but suddenly decrease after I know that I don't have enough skills required.
I was a medical doctor before I decided that clinical field is not suitable for me, then I choose basic science.
I really love immunology, I studied the concept from many textbooks but I know nothing about the experimental techniques..
Now, I am very afraid.. My supervisor pushes me to produce data soon no matter what happens, still my basic research techniques are lacking..

Do you have any suggestions?
or can you recommend a list of immunology or molbio techniques I should master ?
How long it would take for learning all of them?

Can anyone offer any advice to antonsumarpo?

Maybe you are just lacking confidence?

Unfortunately, I cannot offer any specific advice on immunology. However, I also started a PhD in an area completely new to me two and a half years ago.

I read many many publications to get a grip on the topic. I also applied British standards and ISO recommended methods. There should be detailed technical documents on how to do things and advantages and disadvantages of different techniques. My supervisor also paid for my training in a lab and asked for some help from post-docs in other departments. I was running around like a headless chicken for a few weeks :)

hi antonsumarpo
what you can do if you don't know what to do--is to first have an idea what method you want to use (which protocol) for your research project. Talk to your lab mates, especially those who are farther in their phd, make friends with them, see what they are doing. Especially in labwork, reading protocols and papers is just not enough. You need to stick around and hang out in the labs, preferably get someone to show you--or ask someone if you can watch them work when they are doing something. Then you will feel more confident. Try to find someone who will still be in the university so that you can discuss your labwork with them.

I have this experience from my bachelor degree days. I didn't even know how to extract protein properly. One day I met a girl from the next lab, she said she had spare time, and she showed me what to do. Another time I was doing PCR for 3 months--and ZERO results, everyday no band. One Sunday evening, I met a phd student who gave me a PCR tip--and then I tried it and I got a band on my gel. Later he also helped me with the other steps in my protocol. But I will be honest with you. I used to stay in the lab all the time. I even slept overnight in the lab so that I could use the equipment at night when all the seniors (the masters and phd students) were not around. Otherwise I would have had to wait forever. Sadly there was a hen-pecking-kind of hierarchy in the lab, but that's lab culture, I guess. Varies from place to place.

Don't give up.
love satchi