Shows
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceFrom Postdoc to PI : a limited series from ALBA NetworkWe had the great honour of producing a podcast for the ALBA-IBRO Diversity Podcast.This podcast series is a unique resource, a guide that will help you to adress the difficult issue of transitioning from postdoc to team leader. We hope it will inspire you as much as it has transformed our vision of academia !The ALBA-IBRO Diversity Podcast 'From Postdoc to PI' is organized with the support of the International Brain Research Organization, a founding partner of the ALBA Network.This podcast is hosted by The Lonely Pipette...
2025-12-0309 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #34 : The "right" To-Do list - Ana BoskovicThis month we talk with Ana Boskovic about her experience of setting up her own lab and hiring a new teamAna began studying languages and literature… but found it too easy, so she switchedShe questions whether you are ever ‘ready’ to set up your own labIt’s important that you find the right ‘fit’ for the place you want to work and this should be a supportive environmentShe learnt early that it is important to hire people with diverse personalities who each fill a gap in the skills the lab needsAna also says it’s important to a...
2024-11-2656 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #33 : The stories behind the retractions - Ivan OranskyThis month Ivan Oransky joins us to talk about his work as a journalist and advocate for monitoring scientific misconduct.Ivan confesses about his beginnings as a young playwright of the immune systemHe discusses how and why he left medicine to become a journalistIvan’s mentors encouraged him to develop by getting experience as a journalist and editorIvan reflects on how his training as a physician was helpful and allowed people to trust himHe stresses how important it is to read in order to develop story-writing skillsIvan explains that curiosity and attention can help to hunt fo...
2024-10-2950 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #32 - Storytelling : turn science into inspiring narratives - Arjun RajThis month we enjoyed talking to Arjun Raj about his interdisciplinary approaches to studying biological systems Arjun shares how he almost became a truck driver and experimented with a career in an (unnamed) rock bandHe tells us about his journey from mathematics to quantitative biology and he shares thoughts about comparing biology with physics and what they can learn from each otherHe says we all struggle with how to teach creativity and how to evaluate the most promising ideas.Arjun discusses how to improve mentoring and practical auto-mentoring. He gives specific examples about learning how to...
2024-10-0158 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #31 : A recipe for resilience - Alicia Rojas ArayaThis month Alicia Rojas tells us about her journey from Costa Rica to Israel and back, in search of pathogens and parasitesAlicia shares the personal difficulties of being far from home and how she missed family and foodShe reflects on coming back to Costa Rica to explore its rich biodiversityShe recalls the challenges of returning from a luxurious postdoc at the Weizmann Institute to setting up her own lab in Costa Rica during a pandemicShe discusses the need to be resilient and creative and build collaborationsShe is proud to be “doing the best we can wi...
2024-07-301h 02
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #30 : Don't hypothesize, just observe - Hans CleversThis month Hans Clevers talks to us about his productive career and his pioneering work on organoid technologies.Hans admits that he initially found biology frustrating and disappointingBut then he learnt to enjoy the rare spark of excitement from discoveriesHe managed to get his PhD in just one year!You need to trust yourself and learn to share with othersHans warns new group leaders not to expect too much from younger colleaguesIt’s important to give your students their own spaceHe paints a metaphoric image of research - Push against the dark wall un...
2024-06-2558 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #29 : Advocating for women’s health - Nour El Houda MimouniToday we chat with postdoc Nour El Houda Mimouni about her passionate commitment to improving womens’ health.Nour urges young scientists to get themselves a support group from the beginningShe also insists on the importance of developing interests outside of the labAddressing womens’ health issues is ‘not just a job’ for NourShe recommends students to not alway blindly follow other people's adviceShe discusses her advocacy work at the European Health ParliamentShe thinks that every scientist should play a role in public outreach, from a young ageShe mentioned these labs, scientists, institutions and companie...
2024-05-281h 01
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #28 : Curing with a Community - David FajgenbaumIn this episode, we kick off our Season 3 guests with David Fajgenbaum who shares his extraordinary journey to cure himself from Castleman disease.David shares his very personal story of searching for a cure to his own diseaseHe describes how having a vision for the future helped him to surviveHe insists that patients can be part of the process and can be active collaborators in the search for curesHe pleads for a shift from an Investigator initiated model to a Community initiated model involving collaboration between researchers, clinicians and patientsDavid also insists that approved drugs could...
2024-04-301h 11
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #27 : Time to refill the tip box !In this episode Renaud and Jonathan share their excitement about the launch of Season 3 of The Lonely Pipette podcast. BUT this time, they are not the ones asking the questions.💌 Subscribe and receive the next season in you mailboxTo find out more about Renaud and Jonathan : Twitter : https://twitter.com/LePourpre LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/renaudpourpre/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/Epigenetique LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanweitzman/%20
2024-03-261h 06
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP#26 - Season 2 wrap-up - Jonathan & RenaudDear Lonely Pipetters,Season 2 has been an amazing journey, BUT Season 3 will be awesome. We are so proud to be still here, with you supporting us. Thank you! In this final episode, we take the chance to give you untold stories about Season 2 making-of, personal stories and what you can do to help us build Season 3. Don’t miss it out !Subscribe to be updated when Season 3 starts : https://bit.ly/NLTLPTo find out more about Renaud and Jonathan : Twitter : https://twitter.com/LePourpre LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/re...
2023-08-2239 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #25 : Excellence at the ERC - Maria LeptinThis week, we talk to Maria Leptin about her path to the head of the European Research Council Maria claims she didn’t receive any formal mentoring advice, but rather absorbed and learnt along the wayAgainst the perceived wisdom, Maria warns against the advice to be continually networking. She advises to listen to what others say and then add your own thoughts.Maria is sure that if you really enjoy the stuff you're doing, then you will do it well and you'll get something out of it.She says that sabbatical breaks can be good to ‘put y...
2023-07-2641 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #24 : The untold power of philosophy - Thomas PradeuThis week, we meet our first philosopher guest - Thomas Pradeu tells us what scientist can learn from philosophers Thomas shares his journey navigating from philosophy to immunology and biologyHe explains the difference between ‘philosophy IN biology’ compared to ‘philosophy OF biology’He mentions ‘mutual ignorance’ - that scientists often don’t know about philosophers who would be interested in their scienceThomas argues that philosophers should be brought in at the beginning of a project rather than at the end. He describes his model for embedding philosophers within a biology research environmentHe gives lots of specific examples, from...
2023-06-141h 15
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #23 : Letting go of perfection - Elphege NoraThis week, Elphege Nora shares personal thoughts on his journey from Paris to CaliforniaElphege discovered at an early age that the best way to explain who we are is to look back at where we come from and our evolutionary trajectoriesFrom his earliest research experiences, Elphege was intrigued about the sociology of the lab and it’s unusual social etiquetteHe shares his memories of working with Edith Heard and what she taught him about mentoringHe claims that personality tests can be useful for understanding how to interact with colleagues and team membersElphege recommends that it is...
2023-05-171h 12
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #22 : Interdisciplinary freedom as a recipe for success - Christophe LavelleThis week, Christophe Lavelle shares his double passion for science and for cookingChristophe left engineering studies for the freedom of research science. And then he jumped from physics to biology for his PhD studiesHe thinks science makes him a better cook and cites lots of specific examplesHe describes his very free mentoring style and questions what makes a good mentorHe describes his chaotic ‘schizophrenic’’ interdisciplinary interestsWhat has to be done has to be well done - else don’t bother doing itHe tells us that the ‘wow’ in the lab is when you finally understand something, b...
2023-04-191h 04
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #21 : Find your own way - Ana-Maria Lennon-DumenilThis week, Ana-Maria Lennon-Dumenil tells us about her passion for science interfacing with physics and her journey from Santiago to ParisAna-Maria was inspired from a very young age by her namesake Ana-Maria LenonShe quickly left genetics because ‘DNA doesn't move enough’She stresses that every Principal Investigator needs to find their own way and warns against trying to imitate othersAna-Maria feels that the biggest mistake is to think that everyone in the lab is like you (instead of appreciating how different they might be)She stresses the need for optimized communication in the lab and the...
2023-02-221h 17
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #20 : Have you tried multi-plexing ? - George ChurchIn this episode, we talk to George Church about his successful career in DNA repair and his entrepreneurial adventures translating research findings into biotech companiesGeorge proudly describes himself as a biologist-engineerHe ponders whether his dyslexia may have helped him by making him realize he was different from others when he was growing upHe looks for projects in ‘exponential fields’ that combine pure scientific interest, technology breakthroughs and bring societal benefit.George cautions against using the word ‘impossible’He talks about how he has contributed to scientific and technology revolutionsHe emphasizes the important of considering ethics, safety a...
2023-02-071h 07
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #19 : “Should I stay or should I go?” - Jenny RohnIn this episode, we talk with the multi-talented Jenny Rohn about her journey zig-zagging from academia to a biotech-startup, to science publishing and then back into academia.She tells us about her unconventional path and how she decided to go to a start-up and then come back to academic researchShe made long, agonizing lists about pros and cons of leaving or staying in academiaThis period of indecision led her to start writing novelsJenny admits that it was not easy to get back on to an academic pathShe warns people against giving negative advise and she always...
2023-01-241h 10
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #18 : Why do we go to conferences? - Jean-Léon, Rita, Mariaceleste, TimGet ready for 2023 ! In this special episode, we're going to change the narrative. We're going to dive into this original narrative-interview with 4 scientists who experienced an original meeting with us. Invited by Jean-Leon Maître in the south of France at the fondation Les Treilles, are you ready to ask yourself why you go to science conferences?Our special guests are : Jean-Léon Maître, the organizer of the meeting, CNRS research director at the Institut Curie, at Paris, FranceRita Mateus, group leader at the Max Planck Institute of Molec...
2023-01-1043 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #17 : Brothers in arms : building a collective grant-writing community - Matthew WeitzmanThis week we have a surprise treat - a conversation with Jonathan’s twin brother, Matt. He discusses his energetic commitment to mentoring and grant-writing workshops. They share their genetics, but also a desire to “help scientists do better science”Matthew comments on the usefulness of healthy competition in scienceMatt compares the joy of running a lab to cooking in the kitchenHe loves the flexibility of science and constantly stimulated by interactions with colleagues and young scientists and new ideasMatt makes a strong argument for peer-to-peer mentoring, cascade mentoring and seizing constant casual mentoring opportunitiesHe comments on the advant...
2022-12-061h 06
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #16 : Campaigning to change the culture - Ashani WeeraratnaThis week, we talk with Ashani Weeraratna about her inspiring path from apartheid South Africa to director, professor and activist. Ashi cites good advice that she remembers “ read voraciously … and be engaged with the literature”She insists that mentoring is all about the trainees and hearing their individual needsAshi believes that diversity of thought needs diversity of population and stresses the importance of welcoming different groups into the labFor her, representation matters and it is key to achieving full equityShe also comments on the importance of the microenvironment (for cancer cells and for researchers)She shares her th...
2022-11-2258 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #15 : Enjoy the journey - André ChoulikaIn this episode, we speak with André Choulika about his exciting journey from a bench scientist to a biotech entrepreneur taking genomic engineering to the clinicAndré shares his fascination about the logic of biological systems and his admiration for experimentalists“You can always do something else if it fails” insists AndréAndré stresses that the boss has to take responsibilities for decisions“You don’t hire people to tell them what to do, but they should tell you what needs to be done”“Cash is more important than your mother”(we hope Andre’s mother isn’t liste...
2022-11-0852 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #14 : How to get good at failing - Jen HeemstraIn this episode, we step beyond the life sciences to talk with Jen Heemstra, a professor of chemistry who brings much energy to thinking about mentoring and improving academic cultureJen tells us how early failures drove her to strive for success in scienceShe shares how she overcame early doubts about an academic careerShe talks about how different students need different mentoring styles and how important it is to adjust each timeShe admits that she is so excited about all her roles that she struggles with focusing and setting prioritiesGreat teams are made up of people...
2022-10-251h 10
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #13 : Translating knowledge towards society - Steve JacksonIn this episode, we speak with Steve Jackson about his successful career in DNA repair and his entrepreneurial adventures translating research findings into biotech companiesHe remembers his early passion for innovation and for dark heavy rockHe was even turned down by the University of Cambridge when he first appliedSteve reminisces about the serendipity that led him into the DNA repair field How important it is to create a collaborative, cooperative and fun lab environment“The highs become higher… and the lows become higher”Steve speaks openly about the importance of honesty and trust and how he esta...
2022-10-1158 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #12 : Science without frontiers - Edith HeardIn this episode, we were honoured to kick-off Season 2 talking to Edith Heard about her journey to become the first woman to lead the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).She tells us about her early experiences of patients with diseasesEdith emphasizes the importance of doubt for a scientistShe says “mentoring is about caring” and mentions TLP guest Susan GasserShe stresses the importance of changing environments (like taking a sabbatical) and stepping out of your comfort zoneShe lays out her version for running a lab and encouraging collaborationEdit...
2022-09-271h 05
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #11 : We are back!In this episode Renaud and Jonathan share their excitement about the launch of Season 2 of The Lonely Pipette podcastThey look back at Season 1 and what they learned from the tips of the TLP guestsRenaud and Jonathan share their thoughts about science communicationThey update The Lonely Pipette community about what we have been up to over the last yearRenaud describes his Cell Worlds immersive cell biology showRenaud explains how important it is to be persistent in science communicationJonathan talks about the challenges of mentoring and student supervisionRenaud and Jonathan share some teasers and hopes for Season 2
2022-09-1347 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #10 : A season has ended - Renaud & JonathanIn this episode Renaud and Jonathan share their tips and thoughts about the first season of The Lonely Pipette podcast.Renaud and Jonathan tell their own ‘origin stories’And we discuss the origins of the podcast and what we have learnedWe talk about non-linear careers in scienceWe discuss the #HSDBS mission and how we are both committed, in our own ways, to helping scientists do better scienceWe talk about highlights from Season 1 and share some of the joys of listener feedbackAnd we make some promises for Season 2Subscribe and receive the next season in you...
2021-02-091h 00
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #9 : Telling compelling stories - Magdalena SkipperSubscribe and receive the next podcast in you mailboxTell us your thoughts about this episodeLast summer, we were honored to host Magdalena Skipper, Editor of Nature, to share her tips with the community. When Nature announced its new Open Access policy in November 2020, we asked her to come back for another interview in January 2021, to discuss these specific issues. This episode is in two parts: the classic interview with Magdalena sharing her stories with the community and a second part with an extended discussion on the recent announcements m...
2021-01-252h 09
Recherche en cours - Aligre FMThe lonely pipette- REC reçoit Renaud Pourpre et Jonathan Weitzman, les deux inventeurs du podcast qui fait fureur dans les labos de recherche : The lonely pipette.- à partir de 38min : Interview de Lionel Larqué à propos du tier secteur de la recherche qui vient de tenir ses assises.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
2021-01-2251 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #8 : The art of NOT planning - Oded RechaviSubscribe and receive the next podcast in you mailbox Tell us your thoughts about this episodeIn the first episode of the new year we talk to Oded Rechavi about his unusual way of doing science and new ways of sharing science.He tells us about his meandering path from painting in Paris to studying epigenetics in wormsOded repeatedly highlights the importance of not over-planning one’s career or path in science He stresses that it’s important to keep encountering new ideas, testing and failin...
2021-01-111h 04
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #7 : It's okay to be wrong - Wendy BickmoreSubscribe and receive the next podcast in you mailbox Leave us a voice message about this episode In this episode Wendy Bickmore shares her personal thoughts about mentoring, recruiting, publishing and making mistakesWe discuss about establishing and maintaining relationships with mentorsWendy offers thought about how to recruit members to your teamShe also comments on the craziness of the current models of scientific publishing and peer reviewWendy says sometime you just have to learn to ‘wing it’ and accept compromisesShe tells us how she chooses prio...
2020-12-1447 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #6 : Just go for it! Following your curiosity and excitement - Maria Elena Torres-PadillaSubscribe and receive the next podcast in you mailbox Leave us a voice message about this episode In this episode we talk to Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla about how she followed her dreams from Mexico to the Pasteur Institute and then to direct a new institute in Munich.She tells us about how she followed her dream to come to work in Paris She discusses how she chooses scientific questions and which model to work onMaria Elena was always driven by her passion and curiosity which helped h...
2020-11-301h 02
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #5 : Striking the right balance - Robert WeinbergIn this episode Bob Weinberg discusses his long career in cancer research and offers tips about recruiting and mentoring.Bob talks about his motivation to simplify the complexity of cancer biology by distilling out a small set of rulesWe discuss the virtues of being a ‘scientific gypsy’ and Bob stresses the importance of getting the right balance between a narrow focus and a broad interest in different areas of scienceWe talk about different mentoring styles and get useful tips about how to recruit the right people to build a culture of mutual cooperationBob insists on the impo...
2020-11-1655 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #4 : Championing diversity in research - Fiona WattIn this episode we talk to Fiona Watt about her career moves and her journey to become the first woman to lead the Medical Research Council (MRC).She tells us about her early experiences with crocodile huntingShe talks about how she chooses scientific questions to work on and looking for new challengesShe tells us about how she made her career moves and how she created collaborative environmentsFiona talks about her experiences as a journal editor and shares her thoughts about scientific publishing and new publishing modelsShe talks about how to promote gender equality and cultural diversity...
2020-11-021h 02
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #3 : The power of Mentoring - Harmit MalikIn this episode we talk to Harmit Malik about his origins in India and his path to develop his own mentoring style.He tells us how he made the switch from chemical engineering to molecular biology thanks to an inspiring teacher and mentorHarmit tells us lots of stories about how chance encounters with colleagues and mentors have influenced his career and workHe talks about how to search out mentors and how to adapt mentoring styles to the diversity of menteesHarmit discusses what to look for at interviews and how to discover creativity in the ‘hidden diamonds in the ro...
2020-10-191h 13
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #2 : Challenges of an institute director - Susan GasserIn this episode we talk to Susan Gasser about her journey to institute director and how she dealt with the challenges of the job.We discuss about how to choose a good project and to focus on the scientific questionSusan stresses the importance of building a lab culture based on collaboration and teamworkShe shares her advice how to manage conflicts and provide criticism without it getting personalWe talk about Women In Science awards and the future of European scienceSusan shares some personal advice about the importance of coaching and self-awarenessShe also gives tips about getting balance...
2020-10-0559 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #0 : What is The Lonely Pipette ? Jonathan & RenaudThis episode is an introduction to The Lonely Pipette podcast. We explain the origin story of this project. You will learn :What is the purpose of this podcast and why we created it.What kind of content and conversations you will findWhy you are an essential part of this projectReasons to share itSubscribe and receive the next podcast in you mailbox : https://www.bit.ly/TLPsubscribeTo find out more aboutRenaud :Twitter : https://twitter.com/LePourpreLinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/renaudpourpre/
2020-09-2015 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceTLP #1 : Navigating the path to team leader - Maxim GreenbergIn this episode we talk to Maxim Greenberg about his transition from US graduate student to Parisian postdoc, and then the move to young team leader.We discuss about how to choose a postdoc lab and the importance of a generous and supportive mentorMax shares some personal experience of how he juggles family, two scientific careers, as well as kids and schoolingWe also talk about how you know when you are ready to launch your own lab and how to choose a research question for your labMax gives advice about strategies for growing your team and...
2020-09-2053 min
The Lonely Pipette : helping scientists do better scienceThe Lonely Pipette TrailerDiscover and enjoy the trailer of our podcast. We have put our hearts and energies to make it sound great. Special thanks to the French artist Amarià who gave us the opportunity to play his song : Lovely Swindler. To find out more about Renaud and Jonathan : Twitter : https://twitter.com/LePourpre LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/renaudpourpre/ Twitter : https://twitter.com/Epigenetique LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanweitzman/%20
2020-09-1600 min