“Do. Or do not. There is no 'try'.” That's the advice Yoda gave Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. This quote from the diminutive Jedi master sustains me as I head into an area beyond the expertise of my lab.

In addition to my ongoing work, I am now responsible for an unrelated mouse project. A postdoc friend initiated these studies, but due to various delays, he had to leave before the mice arrived. So I have inherited these animals — and the accompanying mountain of incomplete paperwork. The challenge is amplified by the fact that I've never worked with mice before; nor has anyone else in my lab.

I am immensely grateful for help from friendly mouse-geneticist neighbours, who have generously shared their expertise and time. I am excited to learn new skills, especially as biological research increasingly demands in vivo experiments as proof of physiological relevance. However, I am apprehensive about how this new project will turn out and how it will fit into my long-term career plan. Past experience with Drosophila and zebrafish projects has taught me that the knowledge and skills that I acquire are meaningless if no publication results from my work. So as I tackle yet another new model organism, I recall Yoda's words and fervently hope that the Force will be with me.