... the enjoyment of the work comes from solving the intellectual puzzles inherent in the research, seeing how previously apparently unrelated facts can be fitted together into a story about how the system works ...

I think the rewards of looking after patients on a one-to-one basis are more immediate than those of running a clinical trial. But a good trial result can impact on many thousands of people and so be very satisfying in the long term.

Dr Anne Donaldson currently works at the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Aberdeen. 'My research involves DNA replication, understanding the process by which the nucleus of a cell controls replication and what genetic factors are involved.'

Dr Shaheen Hamdy went to Manchester Medical School, and qualified in 1990. It was only in 1994, after passing membership that he decided that research was the appropriate next step. 

My underlying interest is in how things work, which I’ve been able to explore in the medical sciences as an undergraduate and in my basic science interests at present. A parallel interest in ‘what happens when things don’t work’ ....

It’s a very rich world career as long as you have a passion for science. It can also be financially rewarding. The industry provides a supported environment, which should be helpful for anyone wanting to pursue a career in science.

Sir Ravinder Maini is Emeritus Professor of Rheumatology and former Director of The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Imperial College, University of London, and former president of the BSR. 'Very early in my medical career I was fascinated by knowledge that sheds light on mechanisms of disease. As an undergraduate ...'

I think it is important for junior doctors to understand that a PhD is not an end in itself; it is just the first step in an academic career.

Sir Paul Nurse is President of Rockefeller University in New York. Previously he was head of Cancer Research UK. He is a Nobel laureate for his work on the cell cycle, jointly winning the Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology with Tim Hunt and Leland H. Hartwell in 2001.

Two things are really important. First, there is the joy of seeing an exciting result for the first time and trying to understand what it means. The second is training young scientists and clinician scientists and seeing them develop from somewhat nervous and naïve individuals to talented and questioning researchers.

I went into paediatrics as soon as possible after qualifying and came to the Hammersmith to work in neonatal neurology because it had such a good reputation.

Dr Robert Stephens is currently completing a 3-year clinical research training fellowship awarded by the Academy. 'Several studies have shown that low levels of natural antibodies to endotoxin predispose to complications following surgery. I am investigating several ....'

Dr Tom Webb completed general medical training before specialising in neurology. 'I have always been interested in neurology and psychiatry - how the mind works and why we experience what we experience. However, a short stint in .....'