A Researcher at an AREA Grant-Eligible Institution

Molecular Gastroenteroly and Hepatology column, “Paths and Places for GI Research Success,” developed in part in response to the American Gastroenterological Association’s goal of providing more targeted information and services to the diverse groups within the membership. Gastrointestinal (GI) researchers, such as the American Gastroenterological Association’s constituency, are heterogeneous. Although the prototypical GI researcher is a physician-scientist or a scientist on the tenure track at an academic medical center, outstanding research is performed by researchers with a variety of educational backgrounds and titles, at all stages of their careers, in many kinds of institutions. Our goal with Paths and Places is to provide practical advice on career success to researchers in different career stages and settings. The column is specifically intended not to be a memoir, but rather a guide from experts: how to succeed, for example, as a GI researcher in a vet school, as a research scientist in a large laboratory, or as a scientist at or beyond the usual retirement age. Our first columnist is Pamela L. Tuma, PhD, Professor of Biology at The Catholic University of America. The Catholic University of America is an Academic Research Enhancement Award-eligible institution—defined by the National Institutes of Health as an institution that has not received more than $6 million per year in National Institutes of Health support in each of 4 of the past 7 years. AREAeligible schools serve primarily undergraduate student bodies. Faculty typically shoulder heavy teaching loads and research colleagues may be few. Despite these possible impediments, many researchers thrive at these institutions. Dr Tuma provides practical advice on making your teaching load work for you, managing undergraduates, and networking. Although the column is targeted for AREA researchers, we hope it will be more broadly applicable to all readers with active laboratories. We welcome feedback on this new column as well as suggestions for future topics.