time to moderate bionet.virology

[traveler]

Mr. O'Neal, 
 
I was hoping you could help me by answering a few questions   
about virology as a profession.  I've been reading   
bionet.virology for a while now and I am under the impression   
that you are a virologist or molecular biologist (actually I'm   
just guessing).  And you seem friendly enough perhaps to offer   
some guidance counseling to an undergrad at University of   
Houston. 
 
I have been interested in disease since I was in 8th grade and   
I knew even then that I wanted a career that would study the   
innermost boundries of human understanding.  I also have a   
mission in life to help alieviate some human suffering.  I'm   
not a nutcase, just very curious and dedicated. 
 
Fred Murphy of the C.D.C. said that a virologist can choose one   
of three fields of research: 
    1. molecular biology 
    2. pathology 
    3. epidemiology 
 
I'm having trouble deciding on one of the three. I was hoping   
you could add to the information I'm collecting. 
1. If you are indeed a scientist, what is your field of   
specialty? (If not, please disregard this annoyance entirely   
and I apoligize for taking your time.) 
2. Where did you attend school and would you recommend it to   
others? 
3. If I may be so nosy, what are you working on now? 
4. Have you found the politics of funding to affect your work   
adversly? 
 
There really are many more questions, but I thought this may be   
enough to start. 
 
Thank you for your time and I understand completely if you are   
to busy to reply.   
 
Katherine