Question: i think when i am older i would like to research cancer,although i think it may efffect me personaly as my family has sufferd from it. Have you ever been effected personaly by ypur work? x

Alex Davenport answered on 20 Jun 2011:

yes and no.
It is sometimes difficult to associate what you do in the lab directly to patients. Cancer research however can affect you if you get direct contact with patients. I don’t have much contact, but I used to make the effort to meet them if I was free to do a bit of outreach, as I feel it is important to keep that perspective. I think if you ultiumatley get into science to help people and because you find it interesting, then you will find ways to cope with it in your mind. After all, ultimately, you’re trying to help future generations not suffer like the generation that has cancer now.