Dr. Angela Magin from the Faculty of Medical & Life Sciences publishes textbook
“When you're in the lab every day, it's easy to forget that you started out small,” explains Dr. Angela Magin. She first came to HFU as a lecturer in 2009 and has been a member of staff in the Faculty of Medical and Life Sciences (MLS) since 2017. There, she supervises students in internships and project work, among other things − and hears the same questions over and over again. “At some point I realised, also looking back on my own studies, that students are often expected to have skills that they don't even have yet,” she recalls. Whether pipetting and preparing solutions, writing practical protocols, conducting scientific research or planning their own experiments, including the necessary controls − students have to work hard to acquire all of these skills.
To make it easier for them to get started in science, Angela Magin has now written a textbook that accompanies students in the life sciences through their studies from their first day in the lab to their final thesis. The External link opens in a new window:Survival Guide for Life Science Studies was published by Springer Verlag in October 2024. “I wanted to write a book that picks up first-year students and systematically introduces them to the scientific craft from the ground up,” says the biologist. That's why the “Survival Guide” summarises what is usually neglected in conventional textbooks and is spread over several courses during the degree − practical knowledge for science. The focus is on the skills that are important in all areas of the life sciences.
In addition to numerous colleagues, students also helped the author with discussions, tips and corrections so that the content is not only technically correct, but also meets the needs of the students. Angela Magin is very grateful for all this support and once again draws a direct parallel with laboratory work − “Science and writing books have one thing in common − you can't get very far on your own!”