- Vividly portrays the competitive world of top-level scientific research with a focus on ethical issues
- Author has been active scientist, has led research labs and has been Editor-in-Chief of an important journal in the field of biomedicine
- The novel is complemented by an extensive interview with the author
Buy this book
- About this book
-
Chloe and Karen are ambitious and independent-minded young scientists, both trying to make their mark in the competitive world of biomedical science. They work in Tom Palmer’s lab at a top-tier research institute in the US. Life in the lab is full of excitement and passion, but also frustrations, jealousy and the fear of being scooped. When honesty and scientificintegrity are questioned in the context of a paper accepted at a prestigious journal, all are deeply affected and everyone must decide what actions to take to save their careers.
The primary intent of this novel is to draw the reader into the lives of scientists and show what makes people of this profession – or vocation – “tick”. Full of smart, driven, enthusiastic, and yet fallible, individuals, the story portrays the fascinating world of top-level science. It illuminates motivations behind disastrous events that can emerge when ambitions clash with the way science is supposed to work.
The novel is complemented by an extensive interview with the author on defining features of contemporary bio-medical research: the challenges of turning discovery into publications (“publish or perish”), peer review, women in science and, of course, scientific misconduct. The latter has garnered growing attention lately, including high-profile stories in the popularpress, and is a source of concerns for scientists, funders and publishers alike.
About the author: Pernille Rørth holds a PhD in cell biology and genetics. She has led research labs at top institutions in the US, in Europe and in Asia, including the Carnegie Institution for Science (Dept. Embryology) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). With 25 years as an active scientist, she is senior author of numerous research articles, including some in the most prestigious journals in biology. She also served as Executive Editor (Editor-in-Chief) of The EMBO Journal for 5 years. This is her first novel. She now lives in Copenhagen with her husband, also a scientist. - About the authors
-
Pernille Rørth holds a PhD in cell biology and genetics. She has led research labs at top institutions in the US, in Europe and in Asia, including the Carnegie Institution for Science (Dept. Embryology) and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). With 25 years as an active scientist, she is senior author of numerous research articles, including some in the most prestigious journals in biology. She also served as Executive Editor (Editor-in-Chief) of The EMBO Journal for 5 years. This is her first novel. She now lives in Copenhagen with her husband, also a scientist.
- Reviews
-
“For the scientifically literate, particularly those just starting out in their research career, this book is a beautifully crafted cautionary tale about life in the lab that will get you thinking about the subtleties and temptations underlying ethical conduct in research.” (Katherine Brown, The Node, thenode.biologist.com, March, 2016)
- Table of contents (2 chapters)
-
-
Raw Data
Pages 3-179
-
Q and A With Pernille Rørth, Author of Raw Data
Pages 183-195
-
Table of contents (2 chapters)
Recommended for you

Bibliographic Information
- Bibliographic Information
-
- Book Title
- Raw Data
- Book Subtitle
- A Novel on Life in Science
- Authors
-
- Pernille Rørth
- Copyright
- 2016
- Publisher
- Springer International Publishing
- Copyright Holder
- Springer International Publishing Switzerland
- eBook ISBN
- 978-3-319-23974-3
- DOI
- 10.1007/978-3-319-23974-3
- Softcover ISBN
- 978-3-319-23972-9
- Edition Number
- 1
- Number of Pages
- VII, 195
- Topics