How to Become a Protein Crystallographer in a Nanoscience Lab

Abstract

Peter H. Winegar obtained his BS in chemistry at Michigan Technological University in 2017 under the mentorship of Prof. Loredana Valenzano. Currently, he is a PhD candidate in chemistry at Northwestern University and is advised by Prof. Chad A. Mirkin. Peter's current research includes the directed crystallization and oligomerization of proteins using DNA interactions. He serves on the board of Northwestern's Phi Lambda Upsilon Chemistry Honor Society and participates in science outreach to elementary students through Northwestern's Science in the Classroom program.The answer is innumerable hours of mentorship. Honestly, the amount of time and effort contributed by scientists toward my training is striking. Advisors, student and postdoc mentors, staff scientists, and peers have taught me invaluable scientific skills, including lab techniques, communication skills, and project management. I never doubted that I would be fascinated by the research topic of any group that I joined, but I made a focused effort to choose a lab with a strong culture of mentorship. I was fortunate to find this type of lab in the group of Prof. Chad Mirkin at Northwestern University.