Finding Adventure: Blake Wiedenheft ’s Path to Gene Editing

Blake Wiedenheft Grew up in: Fort Peck, Montana Fields: Microbiology, biochemistry, structural biology Job site: Montana State University Secret talent: Being a generalist; enjoying many different subjects and activities When not in the lab, he’s: Running, biking, skiing or playing scrabble with his grandmother Scientific discoveries are often stories of adventure. This is the realization that set Blake Wiedenheft on a path toward one of the hottest areas in biology. His story begins in Montana, where he grew up and now lives. Always exploring different interests, Wiedenheft decided in his final semester at Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman to volunteer for Mark Young, a scientist who studies plant viruses. Even though he majored in biology, Wiedenheft had spent little time in a lab and hadn’t even considered research as a career option. At the time, Young and his colleague, materials scientist Trevor Douglas, were thinking about viruses in a new way. They wanted to use viral particles, which have a casing that surrounds their genetic material, as tiny cages to contain and promote chemical reactions that could lead to new kinds of nanomaterials. Having two such enthusiastic scientists find ways to merge their fields, Wiedenheft says, created excitement in the lab. “The creativity of my mentors left a lasting impression on me that I work hard to emulate.” Wiedenheft stayed in Young’s lab the summer after graduating. But he still was unsure what career he rea...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Being a Scientist Genetics Structural Biology Bacteria CRISPR Gene Editing Microbes Profiles Viruses Source Type: blogs