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BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
3
JULY
2015
single molecule level, their stochastic nature is evi-
dent – events don’t all happen at a set time when
you’re dealing with single molecules.” She began
using single molecule techniques immediately
thereafter. Van Oijen recalls, “Candice worked on
a number of quite elegant single-molecule experi-
ments in my group. She used fluorescence imaging
tools to visualize how proteins move along DNA
and used her knack for physics to describe some
of the molecular properties that determine how
proteins interact with DNA.”
Following her PhD, Etson began a postdoctoral
fellowship in the lab of
David Walt
at Tufts
University, as part of the Training in Education
and Critical Research Skills (TEACRS) program.
“TEACRS postdocs spend 75% of their time in
the lab, and the rest of the time is spent on career
development, including training in all aspects of
teaching,” she says. Etson worked on developing
new methods of studying the activity of restric-
tion endonucleases at the single molecule level.
She used fluorescence spectroscopy and single
molecule imaging in this endeavor. “The methods
I developed can also be applied to other enzymes
that modify nucleic acids,” she explains.
In the Walt lab she also worked on a science
outreach project called Bioinformatics Inquiry
through Sequencing (BioSeq). “We set up a se-
quencing center that is for educational use, and we
developed hands-on, open-ended experimental lab
modules designed to introduce high school stu-
dents to next generation sequencing and bioinfor-
matics,” Etson says. “I really enjoyed this project
because doing science with high school students
requires a whole different mindset, and I learned a
lot about education and how to engage people.”
This month, Etson began a new position as Assis-
tant Professor of Physics at Wesleyan University.
She currently is using Total Internal Reflection
Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy to study how
proteins interact with DNA. “Most recently, I
have been using TIRF microscopy to observe the
cleavage of DNA at the single molecule level,” she
elaborates. “By characterizing the distributions of
the times at which the individual events occur, it is
possible to uncover the presence of reaction inter-
mediates that cannot be directly observed.” In her
new post at Wesleyan, Etson plans on continuing
this work while expanding the methods she uses.
“I plan to move into single-molecule Förster Reso-
nance Energy Transfer (smFRET) studies to get
more information from my experiments,” she says.
Etson also plans to continue work-
ing with undergraduate students in
her new position, exposing them
to research opportunities. “I really
enjoy working with novice research-
ers and introducing people to the
practice of science. It’s so much bet-
ter than studying from a textbook,”
she says. “People tend to think that
science, and especially physics, is
really hard. It’s not easy, but I don’t
believe it is as difficult as some
people think it is. There is a lot of
beauty in science, and I love it when
I can help students see that beauty
for themselves.”
Van Oijen believes that Etson will be a great
example for her students. “Candice is a fantastic
role model for young scientists. She has been able
to launch a successful career as a scientist having
started in a non-traditional way and while having
a family,” he says. “I hope that students at Wes-
leyan are smart enough to pick her lab for their
thesis research!”
Etson’s life is not all science, all the time. She is
married with two daughters, and loves spending
time with her family and also engaging her artistic
side. “That includes cooking, sewing, knitting,
and even building things for around my home,”
she shares. “I also take the occasional dance class,
and volunteer backstage when my
daughters perform.”
Throughout Etson’s career, she has benefitted
from the time and energy her advisors and other
scientists expended for her, and hopes to continue
this tradition with her own students. “I admire
all of those people who were willing to give their
time to share their knowledge and to encourage
me to continue along the path to becoming an
academic scientist,” she says. “Each of them had
plenty of reasons that they could have been too
busy for me, but they took the time anyway. I
never want to forget how important five minutes
can be for someone who is trying to find his or
her path.” Her first piece of advice for young
scientists? “Try things. Get as many different
research experiences as possible before you choose
something to specialize in. Sometimes the things
you like to read about don’t turn out to be a good
match for your way of thinking or working in the
lab. Find a good match so that you can enjoy
your work.”
Profilee-at-a-Glance
Institution
Wesleyan University
Area of Research
Single-molecule studies of
proteins that interact with
and/or modify DNA
Etson dancing with
her daughter.
Etson teaching high school students during
the BioSeq program.