From Base Pairs to Bees

I have interned in various molecular biology labs before the bee lab, so prior to joining this lab, I felt confident that my past experiences and skills could easily translate to the research I would be doing this summer. However after just a few weeks, I have been utterly humbled by the Bee Lab. I did not expect how vastly ecology research differed from molecular biology research. Both fields of science aim to understand the workings of biological systems through experimentation, observation, and analysis. However, this may be the extent of similarities between molecular biology and ecology.

Pipetting reagents into a conical centrifuge tube. [1]

The biggest difference I noticed immediately was the setting, as well as of the mindset of researchers as they approach a question. In the molecular biology labs that I have worked in, we attempted to isolate, purify and individually investigate a particular molecular component, which allowed researchers to understand its function and then integrate it into the description of complex biological systems. The research was characterized by repeated experimentation within a laboratory setting, in which every foreseeable variable is carefully identified and eliminated in order to yield reproducible results. An example of a typical experiment in my former lab involves working in a biosafety level 2 lab, pipetting a specific number of cancer cells onto an array of petri dishes, using short-interfering RNA to knockdown a potential oncogene present in the cells, and detecting how the treatment affected cell proliferation compared with the control. If we obtain some unexpected results in one experiment, we would first blame faulty technique or equipment rather than considering a complex biological explanation.

Collecting nectar samples from White Sage flowers using a microcapillary tube. [2]

In contrast to molecular biology, in the Bee Lab, we go outside. Our research takes us to the Bernard Field Station, where the system being studied is much more chaotic than anything created in a laboratory. We regularly head out to the field station to collect data, such as the number of inflorescences on a plant, the concentration of sugar in flower nectar, and the rate of bee visitation per plant. Beyond just data collection, we simply observe: What is actually happening outside? How are the bees behaving today? What is the condition of the flowers? We see this and then try to evaluate our findings without having a presupposed idea of a specific result that must be attained. While we restrict our research to a relatively small piece of land within the Bernard Field Station, we never observe the same system twice. If we go out to conduct field observations right now, its surroundings have almost certainly changed since yesterday. We can do our best to keep our data collection techniques consistent, but regardless of our efforts, if we measure the same system at two different times, we will observe two, possibly widely, different results. For me, transitioning from a molecular biology research background to the bee lab forced me to come to terms with the fact that ecological systems are pushed and pressed in all sorts of directions by external forces that we have zero control over. Even in a relatively stable and protected system such as the Bernard Field Station, ecological systems behave in a chaotic way: the slightest change will send ripples propagating throughout the entire system. As a result of our chaotic system, our data is highly variable, and what we observe is often quite different from what we expect. In contrast with molecular biology, this aspect of ‘unexpectedness of results’ is perceived less as a disturbing factor that has to be eliminated, but rather as an interesting biological characteristic of our system.

In past molecular biology labs, I have learned that every complex system could be broken down into simple, predictable components. This highly reductionist outlook, adopted by many molecular biologists, has helped them discover important mechanisms and develop life-saving medical treatments. On the other hand, in the bee lab, I learned that an attentive and unrestricted view is also a valued skill, adopted in order to avoid overlooking potentially key details. I appreciate the new perspective on research that the bee lab has given me, and everyday I am eager to go out to the Bernard Field Station, ready to observe a brand new system with fresh eyes and an open mind.

Media Credits
[1]: Photo by Marie Chang
[2[: Photo by Prof. Matina Donaldson-Matasci