Twitter: @pmarignani

What is your favourite enzyme and why?

My favourite enzyme is the protein serine-threonine tumour suppressor kinase LKB1. Because LKB1 is the coolest kinase, ever. The End.

 

What is your favourite book?

I am still writing it.

 

What is the most recent book you’ve read?

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson and Il Principe by Niccoló Machiavelli

 

What is your favourite amino acid and why?

Lysine, because it is conserved in the catalytic domain of every kinase. The loss of the lysine renders the kinase dead, thereby altering downstream signalling.

 

What are some of your hobbies?

I have been sketching, painting, and sculpting since I was 8 years old. As I got older, I added photography to my art hobby.

 

What is the coolest project you ever worked on?

Goodness, this is difficult to answer because I think all the science I have done in my past and am currently conducting with my research team is cool. If you don’t think your science is cool, you should not be doing it.

 

What is the biggest mistake you’ve made in lab?

The very first protein SDS-PAGE gel I ran was beautiful until I tried to remove it from the glass plates. It fell to the ground and broke into a dozen pieces. After staining it with Coomassie Brillian Blue, I had to puzzle it together before I could dry it down. Suffice to say, I have never dropped a gel since.

 

Do you have any advice or anything else you want to say?

Be passionate about your science. Do not apologize for having passion for scientific discovery. #ScienceSaves