“Looking forward to finally discovering answers to my research curiosities” Dr. Seojin Lee on starting a Postdoc
Programs: Graduate, Agile education
Every September is a time to recognize the amazing contributions Postdoctoral Researchers make as we celebrate Postdoc Appreciation Week.
We spoke to Dr. Seojin Lee who recently completed her PhD in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. She started a new role as Postdoctoral researcher this summer.
What did you do in your PhD?
I did my PhD training at the Kovacs neuropathology lab in LMP, investigating toxic iron accumulation in patient brains with neurodegenerative diseases, whose etiology and mechanisms of action are as yet unknown. Throughout my PhD studies, I developed unique techniques which allowed the identification of key cell populations that had pathological iron deposition that were specific to diseases.
Using this discovery as a new starting point, I wish to unravel the disease-specific pathways of toxic iron accumulation in neurodegenerative brains. I initially started my graduate studies at LMP as a Master’s student from simply wanting to explore my new curiosity in research that had developed in the later years of my undergraduate studies. Quickly, my interest in research grew exponentially, to where I am now!
What role do Postdocs play in research and why are they important?
Postdocs are the powerhouse of research! Throughout their PhD training, they’ve developed the experience and skills to independently plan, conduct, and communicate research. They use this expertise rigorously to contribute to our scientific knowledge.
Tell us about your new role as a Postdoc.
I am in a very unusual situation where I’m starting my early postdoc position in the same laboratory I did my PhD studies in.
I absolutely loved research as a PhD student, but I felt that I never fully understood the system of academia. Right up until the last year of my studies, I was still confused about which career path I wanted to pursue. I was therefore easily persuaded to accept the postdoctoral offer from my PI. My PI and I built a shared excitement and passion in my research topic.
I was also very keen to continue my research. In the last two years of my graduate studies, I’ve developed multiple new research questions following my findings. I had all the needed material and resources to tackle those questions in my current laboratory and did not want to waste any time!
What are you looking forward to most in your new role as a Postdoc?
I’m looking forward to finally discovering answers to my research curiosities that I’ve been accumulating for such a long time!
What’s the next step after your Postdoc?
I need to develop a broader set of techniques outside of molecular neuropathology and biology so I’m hoping to gain experience in a laboratory that are leaders in other techniques.
