If You Can't Measure It, You Can't Manage It

Start of the lab: 2006 Size of the lab: Currently ten—size has fluctuated between five and 20 Research field: Systems and synthetic biology In 2005, I was working in the bioinformatics group of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a subsidiary of DuPont. The company was downsizing its research and development effort. At the same time, synthetic biology was emerging as a new discipline, and I wanted to be part of this scientific adventure. Since it no longer seemed possible to work in this area at Pioneer, I looked at different career options like joining a synthetic biology startup or going back to academia. I had contacts at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI), and they encouraged me to apply to an open position. They saw my experience in industry as a good fit with VBI entrepreneurial culture. I started my lab at VBI on May 1, 2006 with a gap in my publication record, no students, and an obligation to work in a field totally unrelated to what I had been doing for the previous four years while working at Pioneer.