One of the most important lessons I learned from working for Dr. P. Michael Conn for nearly two decades was the value of pursuing a goal while being open to opportunities outside of that goal.

Dr. Conn was a scientist who performed basic (vs. clinical research) which means he looked at science on a cellular level. He studied the literature, developed hypotheses and his lab performed experiments to test these hypotheses. Every morning he met with his primary collaborator, the woman who ran his lab, to discuss the lab’s previous day’s work and what the day’s focus would be. Every day he reviewed and analyzed information. Continue reading →