Most people probably think they have a pretty good idea of what scientists are like and what they do. Dr Laura Eadie, a leukaemia researcher from SAHMRI, has a secret … it’s not all cool experiments and Eureka moments. What goes on behind the lab coats, beakers and pipettes? What really does go on in the life of a research scientist? Laura shares the challenges faced by the health and medical research community in the current funding climate. She also shares her aspirations for the future of health and medical research in Australia. Laura completed her PhD in Medicine in 2013, her studies earning her a Dean’s Commendation. Laura’s research has always centred on translating laboratory findings to improve patient outcomes. She has spent ten years researching modes of resistance to chronic myeloid leukaemia drugs. Her efforts have resulted in nine first-author publications and presentations at over 25 national and international meetings. Some of Laura’s recent research garnered international media attention. She is a current Cancer Council SA Beat Cancer Project fellow and her research now focuses on high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She is using cutting edge laboratory models to evaluate precision medicine treatment strategies tailored to individual patients. Laura was a 2016 Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow in Medical Research from the University of Adelaide to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx