I will abstain from arrogance and refrain from claiming that I am going through some kind of ultimate transformative experience.  But what I'm going through is so damn interesting.  You should be so interested that your life should stop because of me, and you should be so enamored with me that you worship me.  If you want to be privy to this ultra-awesome-super-de-tacular information, add me.  Otherwise, you are not saved, and a million misfortunes will befall you.

Including locusts, leprosy, and various other destructive l-words.

The week was spent learning the lab ropes, so to speak. I learned how to "pull" micropipettes (image below)



which are used to for electophysiology experiments. There's a very tiny hole at the end of the sharp tip (and it's sharp: i've been stuck with one. Ow.). I also learned how to inject solution into the pipette, which is annoying because you have to spend about 1 or 2 min tapping out the air bubbles.

The pipette is fitted around an electrode attached to a 3-axis manipulator system to allow for positioning of the pipette using the microscope. I got to play with it! I also learned some of the basics of touching down on cells with the micropipette. I murdered many cells. The tip of the micropipette is supposed to create a seal on the cell membrane with GΩ resistance (meaning any measurements would be as accurate as possible). I got to practice this on glioma cells, but failed magnificently.

Most of Friday was spent making solutions, which involved meticulously weighing out solid compouds and then getting the damn compounds into the stupid volumetric flasks. Getting nearly 300 g of FUCKING TABLE SALT into a thin-necked 1 L flask took 3 tries because I kept spilling it. Never mind getting the stupid TABLE SALT dissolved into the L of water took about a million years (a technical unit of time). In the end, I got 4 of the 5 stock solutions finished. I attempted to do the HEPES (a pH buffer) solution, but HEPES is annoying and kept solidifying to the point that it was hard to get into the flask. I had to leave early, so I gave up. I'll have my mentor help me with it on Monday.

And with that, my first official lab notes were recorded. (According the Dr. Benos, we're supposed to save them... FOREVER)

The cardiomyocytes come in on Tuesday, which means we can potentially begin experiments as soon as my technique is up to par. Which probably will not be for a while. Hell, I still don't know what half of the electrophysiology equipment does except what little reading I've done in the Axon Guide.

Overall, though, this is shaping up to be fun! And I get paid for it!

I have such an awesome new toy. Well, I take that back. That's my mentor's inverted microscope (the objective lenses are under the stage as opposed to above) with infusion apparatus, and several electrodes surrounding the stage. All of this on an awesome vibration isolation table. AN AIR TABLE!

I can't wait till I learn how to use all of this stuff.

I thought I had everything until I heard a death metal cover of "Stayin Alive" by the BeeGees. NOW I have everything.

Current Music: Stayin Alive (Cover) - Dimension Zero

For those who actually give credence to Ben Stein and his IDiot cabal, please visit this site for the facts.



Have a nice day!

Rick

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Visit here now! NOW I TELL YOU

As a beginning medical student, I have become fascinated with the world of "alternative" medicine. Not as a legitimate "alternative" to science-based medicine, but as a form of delusion and lack of critical thinking. I read this piece (published in 1999), and I think it cuts to the core how ridiculous the "Integrative" medicine assault upon the population and academia really is:

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OMG, the New York Giants didn't fuck up for once!

That's right folks, the Giants are headed to the NFC Championship Game after beating the #1 seed, the Dallas Cowboys.