This week I interviewed my P.I. Dr. Steve Haase. Dr. Haase started out at Colorado State University at Ft.Collins. There he studied biochemistry and chemistry and researched Vibrio cholerae, working to develop genetic tools to study the bacterium’s genetics and virulence. Dr. Haase then went to on to graduate school at Stanford’s department of genetics where he studied human DNA replication, looking for origin points for replication of DNA sequences. His lab at Stanford were looking for points similar to promoters which would indicate where DNA polymerase binds to begin replication. Interestingly, they found that there were no particular origin sites in human cells, a finding which wouldn’t be fully accepted for several years after they released their findings. Dr. Haase then completed his post doc at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA studying the yeast cell cycle, which continues to be one of the main focuses of his lab here at Duke.
When asked what his goals are and how have they changed, Dr. Haase replied that it’s hard to even describe his goals, as they are often changing. For example, one of his biggest projects as of late is studying malaria. While at first it seems odd to go from researching yeast to researching dangerous parasites, Dr. Haase asserts that this project “came from the data” and from looking at the problem from a different point of view. The Haase lab collaborates closely with several mathematicians and statisticians. Mathematicians work by simplifying and manipulating equations until they look like something they can solve. By looking at malaria and how it relates to their understanding of yeast, the Haase lab realized they ”had the tools to attack” this different kind of science, and may be able to contribute some important research on this deadly disease. In both his research and his teaching careers, Dr. Haase enjoys science because of these “aha moments”. Whether he’s understanding a new way of looking at the research or helping a student understand a concept and develop, these “aha moments” are some of his favorite parts of his job.
While Dr. Haase couldn’t think of any disasters in the lab off hand, he does say one of the biggest mistakes that happens is young students will come in too afraid to fail. Dr. Haase dislikes the unrealistic expectations many risk-averse students put on themselves. In fact, if you make a mistake in the Haase lab that Dr. Haase has never made before they put a dollar in a beaker in his office. Currently the little glass holds $2 and getting a dollar in the jar is a rare badge of honor. Dr. Haase feels that “if you’re not making mistakes you’re not pushing the envelope” and “science is really about …intellectual adventurism” where mistakes are learning experiences. One can’t expect to succeed all the time when doing something that hasn’t been done before, you have to accept your mistakes and move forward. Some of the most important advice he has for students is to laugh at little disasters, move on, and don’t let your desire to be perfect hinder you.
