For obvious reasons, I don't want to reveal too much. So I'm not the only one with this issue. One of the biggest issue is that my advisor does not want to answer questions with more standard methods/techniques (instead we are asked to look for kits, "easy" assays). Something as standard as running MassSpec has been a real issue with getting my mentor to agree is an example which is obviously an issue when your mentor decides on the finances.

All of our projects have so much potential, but my mentor's only interest is finding drugs we can immediately send to clinical trials, so mechanisms are not a priority.

I was very upfront in the beginning with what I needed and expected out of my mentor which were all reasonable