FACULTY Q&A DR. KATHLEEN BOESZEBATTAGLIA Professor, Dept. of Basic & Translational Sciences Research Honors Program Director
How can students go about finding a research project? There is the summer research program and an honors program here at the School. Penn does a very good job of making research accessible to students. If a student wants to do it, they certainly have many opportunities and labs to experience a research environment. I encourage anyone interested to participate in a research project at PDM. There is a new Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Student Research who can help connect students with research projects, Dr. Esra Sahingur. Research also enables you to develop critical thinking and interpretation of the literature. A dentist will be faced with new treatments, devices, and materials used in patient treatment. How do you evaluate them? Research teaches you how to examine and interpret data. There is no better way to learn how to critically evaluate the literature and to learn how to make decisions on whether a product or technique may be good for patients. I think a research experience has so many valuable components that if students do not take advantage of it, they will be missing something valuable. I also make a suggestion that students think about different careers that they can participate in, including careers that involve teaching or research, which are compatible with being a clinician. A dental student has many opportunities and many paths that they can take.
Currently, Dr. Battaglia’s lab is focused on understanding the molecular mechanism of age-related degenerative diseases by deciphering alterations in metabolism.
What qualities do you consider valuable in a researcher? As a traditionally trained biochemist/biophysicist, I would have answered that researchers must develop highly qualitative assessments for basic processes. Over the years, my viewpoint has evolved with increased emphasis on understanding and developing viable therapeutics for disease processes. Overall, this requires a researcher who bridges basic concepts with clinical realties. Ultimately, some of the best researchers are both creative and think outside the box, and have the organization skills to persevere with well-designed studies.
What was the most difficult time in your research? A research career is mostly characterized by both high and lows. Challenges do come in all forms; commitment to family, lack of infrastructure support, personnel struggles, and general difficulty in work life balance. Perhaps the most challenging for me was making time for my two daughters when they were young, and juggling the demands of scholarship for tenure. I had a 4-year-old at home and was pregnant with my second child my tenure year. There was no trick — just a lot of 5 a.m. mornings, kids and toys in my office, and evening mealtimes which I tried not to miss. As for research, it worked; I collaborated and have always enjoyed answering the question, “I wonder why it works that way.”
What advice do you have for students interested in research? Pursue your passion, find a lab that has the type of work environment and project that you want to spend your non-existent “extra” time in. Some important things are to keep the balance — many experiments you think failed are really opening up a new line of study — look at the failures in that light. Rely on your basic common sense; it is good to ask yourself if what you are doing make sense. Is there a better way to do this particular experiment or a better way to test my hypothesis? Once in a lab group, find mentors. Look at what these individuals do when they get stuck in their project, and see how they present their ideas.
“Ultimately, some of the best researchers are both creative and think outside the box, and have the organization skills to persevere with well-designed studies.” VERNON BRIGHTMAN RESEARCH SOCIETY 9
