As a Research Associate in an analytical chemistry lab, Colette Boucher prepares potential drug compounds for testing and analysis. This process consists of weighing an appropriate sample, perhaps mixing it with a solvent or other compound, cleaning and calibrating equipment, and ensuring that the computer software controlling the experiment functions properly.		Colette insists on a challenge, and she doesn’t like routine. That’s why she gravitated to her current employer. The Bio-Méga research division of Boehringer Ingelheim Canada conducts anti-viral biology research for all of Canada’s pharmaceutical giants, as well as other clients worldwide. In Colette’s opinion, this makes her job very interesting. After a specific time period, anywhere from one to five years of searching for a new inhibitor for a specific virus, for example, they might decide to move on. As Colette says, "if we haven’t found a new compound after some years of research, it might not make sense to continue." That’s just long enough to learn a lot about how a specific virus - the HIV virus, for instance - reacts to specific types of compounds. Then Colette’s focus changes to another virus - the flu, perhaps - with totally different behaviours. Although Colette still performs the same functions - preparing compounds, calibrating instruments, and verifying software - the tools and the order in which they are used changes depending on the results. "In a quality control centre, you have to follow protocol," she says. "In a research lab like mine, you create protocol." Although her experiments usually confirm that a specific compound provided to her by an organic chemist behaves as anticipated, Colette prefers those rare times when something goes wrong - when a compound doesn’t do what’s expected, or an instrument isn't responding properly. That’s when she has a chance to test new technologies, consult experts, or check the scientific literature for solutions.