Robert Gertz

Molecular biology, bacteriology, epidemiology, medical history, public health history.

Abstraction: solve the problem in a model of the system then apply it to the real system. For example, my primer development work involves determining the expected result using the known structure of the genotype then applying it to actual genomic DNA.

Analogy: using a solution that solved an analogous problem. For example applying the PCR serotyping method we developed for US surveillance to various international populations.
Brainstorming: suggesting a large number of solutions or ideas and developing them until a useful solution is found. As a team leader for a molecular surveillance group this is probably the most frequent problem solving method I employ. For example in improving the high-throughput sequencing we do I employ group discussion of the various problems-say, a problem with product cleanup, or to locate the source of problems, say poor peaking.

Divide : breaking down a large, complex problem into smaller, solvable problems
For example in analyzing the T-cell receptor at Beth Israel Hospital in lymphoma cells our approach was to first study the method of binding for the receptor.

Hypothesis testing: assuming a possible explanation to the problem and trying to prove (or, in some contexts, disprove) the assumption. Our starting point in our research. For example to assume that penicillin-binding protein expression will be associated with antibiotic resistance in S.pneumoniae, then construct an experiment to prove/disprove.

Morphological analysis: assessing the output and interactions of an entire system. In microbiology or molecular biology this is often one of the initial steps when looking to study a single gene and its effects. It can also be the end step in analysis when looking to study functional effects of various genes and actions on those genes.

Reduction: transforming the problem into another problem for which solutions exist. For example I built our Group B multiplex using the methods used in construction of our S.pneumoniae system.

Root cause analysis: determining and eliminating a cause of a problem. For example in determining problems with recruitment in an epidemiologic field study in Worcester, Massachusetts which I directed, we carefully isolated all factors which might prevent study participants from signing on and redesigned the study instruments and some incentives to eliminate these problems.
Trial-and-error: testing possible solutions until the right one is found. At times this must be employed, for example when a primer set continually fails but we proceed in a logical and systematic manner to eliminate dead-ends and document progress until the solution is left.