How is like doing a PhD in biosciences? For example, zoology, biochemistry, genetics. How do they differ from engineering PhDs? Could someone describe their research in biosciences?

Well how is a engineering PhD???
Anyway genetics, lets see ... I work on DNA repair, so we get samples in from patients (or someone "makes a mouse" and then we look at how good they can repair their DNA after we damage it. Problem is, you can't really see what is going on in the cell. Most experiments take place in a volume that is smaller than a raindrop. You have to make absolutly sure that you mark everything carefully and keep good records of what worked and what not. Never trust any one elses work 100% (and your own as well, if you are smart). I was just sent some DNA with an additional mutation in it (and the sender didn't notice this mutation - I sequenced the DNA and found out).

So, for example, you take some damaged DNA and add all the proteins to it that you think are required to repair it. Then you check if the DNA was repaired. At the moment I'm trying to find out which part of my protein is responsible for what function. So I have mutated it and in about 5 weeks I will have made the protein and can look if it can repair the DNA sample or not.

It can become very technical at times because you must get the conditions right for the proteins to be able to work. For example- the temperature must be right, the pH, the amount of salt in your sample. And you work with sequencers, machines that will purify your samples and the computers controling them.

Mostly i am doing several experiments in paralel because you have to wait inbetween. I'll start something and then have a 2h break untill I have to continue it. In these 2 h I can prepare some reagents for the next day or do another experiment. Many experiments require timecourses, where you take a sample every hour. So I almost always use a timer.

Progress is very hard to predict because you might have to work with an antibody that should only find your protein- and then it is not specific and recognizes dozends of other proteins as well. Or it is a great antibody and it just recognizes what it should. either way, you have to work with it.

Anyway, its time to take a sample. So, whats engineering like,eh?