As part of my Senior year in the Magnet Program at my High School, I have to do an internship in the afternoons.
Now, through some miracle of red tape, I'm doing two: I'm working in a lab at SPSU on protein extraction and purification from 1-4, and from 6-9, I'm enrolled in a biology research class with four SPSU seniors studying a new technique for gene therapies.
I feel the need to tell you this because I have to vent.
I just walked in about 15 minutes ago. I was at Southern Poly University until 10:45 working on my lab. I have nothing to show for it.
Basically, we took individual strains of bacteria that we cultured overnight and spent close to four hours today isolating plasmids -- the genes that carry antibiotic resistance and other junk.
I wound up behind the other four because I had taken two strains, double the work load. I'm good at lab work, though, so I only wound up about 15 minutes behind them at the end of a 3-4 hour procedure. By the time I was finishing, they were already cleaning the lab area.
So, the last step is to set the tubes out to air-dry. I set mine out, turned around to pack my bag, turned back, and my tubes were gone.
Someone had accidentally tossed them in the garbage.
Four hours work, shot to pieces.
So, I re-cultured my bacteria. Tomorrow, I have to redo today's lab and do tomorrow's lab so I'm caught up by next week.
I'm in High School. There is something not quite right here.
Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
On the one hand, I feel kinda bad for you, on the other hand, 4 hours is nothing. Ah science, I don't miss you at all Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
BtL, does that mean you got out of the biz?!
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
BtL...yeah, I was just going to say...4 hours work wasted...that's nothing!
But this does sound like a lot to ask of a High School student. I hope you at least got a cute lab partner out of the deal.
Posted by HRE (Member # 6263) on :
If it was wasted because I had erred, that would be one thing. But I had done the lab perfectly.
And that's a negative on the lab partner.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Yes, uninteresting failures are hard to take. Interesting failures are the stuff of science legend!
Sorry about the lab partner.
Posted by Zeugma (Member # 6636) on :
How's gene therapy coming these days, anyhow? Any promising new advances?
I expect a paper on my desk in the morning, by the way. With meticulous lab research backing it up. Posted by bunbun (Member # 6814) on :
Just wait until you're at a university, and you have to wait 6-8 weeks to even begin culturing while the plasmid undergoes review by Grants, Intellectual Property, or Health and Safety.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
paper chromatography.
watching paint dry.
Posted by bunbun (Member # 6814) on :
I actually think that paper chromatography looks interesting. I've never done it, but I can see the appeal, especially if you're really interested in a particular work.
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