How did you choose what to research? And how did you first become interested in your topic?

Question: How did you choose what to research? And how did you first become interested in your topic?
- Keywords:
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Asked by char95 to Anouk, Chris, Judith, Leisha, Seyyed on 18 Jun 2012. This question was also asked by aliceee.
- Judith Sleeman answered on 18 Jun 2012:
  
  This is actually a really difficult question! I’m not sure I ever made an active choice: I just followed what interested me most at each stage and ended up here! When I was at school I was interested in forensic science and pathology but I’m too squeamish to deal with dead bodies, so I ended up studying how problems with cells and genes can cause disease. Mostly I just enjoy asking questions, following clues and trying to piece together what on earth is going on in our cells.
- Chris Kettle answered on 21 Jun 2012:
  
  During my genetics degree I had a project to do which looked at developmental genetics in zebra fish- yes zebra fish. I was so interested in how genetics influenced to developing egg that I applied for a phd in the subject area and ended up looking at how the number of legs in centipedes was controlled during their development. I made lots a discoveries that were all “firsts” and big impacts in the field as, at the time, evolutionary developmental biology had only really just become a recognised discipline. And of cours- very few people had used centipedes before lol

Question: How did you choose what to research? And how did you first become interested in your topic?