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  1. P

    Random Thoughts Part 6 - Start a New Thread

    all I know is that I've never felt more like an "adult" than when I replaced all four tires in one shot...and that hurt
  2. P

    Random Thoughts Part 6 - Start a New Thread

    what if I invest my money, get 50k back, then decide to buy a bmw then lol
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    COVID Plasmid DNA from Pfizer COVID Vaccine Manufacturing

    We were having a brief conversation about this earlier this week. It's definitely fuel for any anti vaxxers to get carried away with until more information is determined. Meanwhile, while it gave excuse for a few to complain about why their own (intentional) transfections weren't working lol.
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    Random Thoughts Part 6 - Start a New Thread

    yes the video title has a typo
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    Random Thoughts Part 6 - Start a New Thread

    haha I'm not either! but animal biologists are amongst the coolest people I've had the pleasure to hang out with. don't even get me started with the bug people
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    Random Thoughts Part 6 - Start a New Thread

    well yes but no where in those range of requirements negates the ability to take your snake out for a walk . we used to handle all kinds snakes back when I did field work. the herpetologists were amongst the most casual of the snake handlers . you have to get to know your snake before you take...
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    Random Thoughts Part 6 - Start a New Thread

    the goal to own a snake and carry it in my pocket and take it on walks increases exponentially with each rattlesnake I see in the wild
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    Random Thoughts Part 6 - Start a New Thread

    I need a snake
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    Admissions Who should I pick for my third letter of recommendation?

    yeah for sure. I'm actually having a hard time deciding on what to disclose or not disclose to admissions because I don't want a pathetic sob story but also 1) there were freak accidents and 2)chronic health issues that I'm currently successfully learning to manage. This past year of working has...
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    Admissions Who should I pick for my third letter of recommendation?

    this a great way to think of it, thanks so much! Regarding point A, I feel as though both PI's letters will speak to how hard I work and how I'm committed to the research (perhaps even at the expense of quality of life lol) and how I'm able to keep up with grad students and post docs in...
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    Admissions Who should I pick for my third letter of recommendation?

    I have two PIs who will write the first and second letter. And I'm torn between asking my direct supervisor from one of those labs (who was a grad student when I was working there and we became quite close) and a professor that I had for an upper div class I took during my last year. My...
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    When choosing your career, did you prioritize interest or salary?

    This is true! I suppose the anxiety stems from not knowing if that employment opportunity will arise post-education. I think perhaps I could find a program that I don’t hate and involves further learning methods that could be easily applied in many different fields. Although upon listening to...
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    When choosing your career, did you prioritize interest or salary?

    We’re studying protein biogenesis and quality control. I’m a research assistant (I’ve only graduated a year ago) but my PI basically treats me like a graduate student so I’m expected to work on experimental development and trouble shooting, give presentations, and be up to date on current...
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    When choosing your career, did you prioritize interest or salary?

    I guess I'm just going around trying to gauge the level of regret from both sides of the conversation lol. I majored in biochem with an emphasis in both biophysics and molecular bio but my undergrad research was on ecology and plant physio. So now I'm full-time in a lab that's doing precisely...
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    When choosing your career, did you prioritize interest or salary?

    I've spoken to countless people who've started sentences with "doing that would be really cool, but I don't want to be broke". They might be indifferent with their work. Others I have met who've decided that passion trumps earning potential enjoy what they do but are often so obsessed with their...
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    Forum seems less active compared to 10 years ago?

    Personally I've gotten into the habit of just emailing people and asking to have one-on-one conversations for help or guidance. I'm consistently impressed with how many individuals are willing to simply converse, even though I'm no longer their student or never have been.
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    Forum seems less active compared to 10 years ago?

    Ha I joined when I was 15yo and it was definitely more lively then, it was like talking to friends at one point. That was the era of micro mass' math challenges and ProfuselyQuarky thinking math was the coolest thing ever. Now it's just a tool I still come back periodically though
  18. P

    Random Thoughts Part 6 - Start a New Thread

    too many narcissists
  19. P

    How to interpret thermal shift experiment's work for binding?

    the dye interacts with protein residues that become exposed only when protein begins to unfold and only then does it fluoresce. So, more fluorescence corresponds with more unfolding. dF/dT is just the change in fluorescence with respect to temperature, so then you get very specific readings of...
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    How to interpret thermal shift experiment's work for binding?

    Do you understand qPCR? The assays’ method involves a dye that fluoresces during denaturation. The choice of dye is dependent on specific experiment and protein
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    I'm sick of research and I haven't even started my career yet lol

    Just a lil update to this thread. I had a very long conversation with my PI. In regards to schedule, he said he expects me to work like salaried staff due to the nature of the work so, no, it doesn't mean I'll ever have that 9 - 5 esque schedule but that also means he doesn't give a damn about...
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    Medical Skin exposure with 35S Methionine?

    The PPE culture in this lab surprised me too to be honest. My old lab in undergrad was very serious about safety but that was in plant physiology and a lot of inarguably dangerous materials were used, so when I joined this lab I was a bit confused. Extreme precaution is taken to protect samples...
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    Medical Skin exposure with 35S Methionine?

    Also, yes, this should probably be a bigger conversation on lab safety here since many people here function with the attitude of "technically the safety protocol is xyz but I've been doing this for 10 years so it doesn't really matter" but then a newer person comes along and becomes confused in...
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    Medical Skin exposure with 35S Methionine?

    Our safety handbook in lab just specifies to wear appropriate PPE whilst dealing with 35s Met and to contact radiation services on campus should there be a major spill (which would never happen since the experiment is dealing with very small volumes). Usually I'm wearing gloves, however there...
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    Medical Skin exposure with 35S Methionine?

    yeah for the record I'm not looking for medical advice, there just seems to be lack of consensus in regards to whether that degree of radiation exposure is problematic or not (and what it does). I want to know what the real answer is
  26. P

    Medical Skin exposure with 35S Methionine?

    I ran a gel on electrophoresis that had proteins that were radio-labeled with 35s methionine, and in the process of imaging the gel (after 36 hr exposure on phosphor screen) I accidentally grabbed it with my bare hand. I'm getting very mixed messages regarding whether this is okay or not. Thoughts?
  27. P

    I'm sick of research and I haven't even started my career yet lol

    Thanks for this, I admit I really don't know what other jobs consist of outside of academia, I should probably explore this more. My plans and goals have been pretty narrow since it's the only step to success I've seen anecdotally.
  28. P

    I'm sick of research and I haven't even started my career yet lol

    The lab studies biochemistry, molecular biology, and biophysics, which is what I studied in college and what I would like to pursue a PhD in (actual topic unclear for now, this lab studies protein structure and mechanism for neurodegenerative diseases, and I like it but I'm also interested in...
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    I'm sick of research and I haven't even started my career yet lol

    This is a good analysis of the situation, and good advice. I agree that I should probably have a heart to heart with my PI, ask him how I'm doing, and tell him my concerns. It's really hard to complain or even suggest potentially shifting gears to industry here when everyone is so passionate...
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    I'm sick of research and I haven't even started my career yet lol

    Well, research itself is fine. Again, I ultimately enjoy the work I'm contributing towards. But there's a difference between hating research and being resentful about being subject to the timeline of senior scientists and PIs that are pretty detached from reality. Having a post doc ask, "hey can...
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    I'm sick of research and I haven't even started my career yet lol

    I graduated last June and I’ve been a research technician ever since (at a school different from undergrad institution). When I have energy and am not stressed out about the impressions I’m making in the lab environment, the work I do is still quite enjoyable but more often than not this is not...
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    Can’t tell the difference between a “good” school and a top 5 private school

    The entirety of the student body or specifically undergrad vs grad?
  33. P

    Can’t tell the difference between a “good” school and a top 5 private school

    I’m not sure what I was expecting to be honest. Definitely not an entire campus population of geniuses but I’ve spent the past 2 months here (albeit as a research tech taking grad classes, not a student) and I guess I was expecting to, I dunno, be humiliated with everyone’s brilliance as well as...
  34. P

    Data transformations: When do you know to stop?

    Oh, thanks for this. I'll download the paper and look through it for sure. Again, I'm in no way a pro data analyst and am still trying to learn.
  35. P

    Medical Polio found in London sewage

    Reminds me of that that risk of polio coming back from melting permafrost in relatively rural Siberia due to climate change and the inadequate burial of past dead bodies that have died from the virus..
  36. P

    Data transformations: When do you know to stop?

    I did do a principal component analysis (whilst excluding outliers), which to my understanding doesn't have any Gaussian distribution assumption...this also indicated a promising trend but nothing shocking
  37. P

    Data transformations: When do you know to stop?

    Yeah this has been an issue before too... Basically a Michaelis constant was obtained and published, but the authors' conclusions relied on the fact that they conveniently equated Km to their half-velocity constant. Since this only works when the rate of the enzyme-substrate complex is very very...
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    Data transformations: When do you know to stop?

    Basically two of the four indices I tested for were extremely left skewed from a normal distribution. Specifically, they want me to force the data into a proper distribution so that the variance assumption used for anova isn't totally violated and we can allegedly get better p-values. There are...
  39. P

    Medical Universal Virus? - mononucleosis, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis....

    This was really exciting when it came out. EBV has already been known to reduce autophagy and impair certain phagocytes in vitro and that's correlated with reduction of mitochondrial biogenesis. And it's also established that abnormalities in mitochondrial transport can be seen in MS patients...
  40. P

    Data transformations: When do you know to stop?

    I'm running raw data and although, visually, the trends are promising, none of it is statistically significant. I was just going to leave it at that because the data was obtained after only 1 year of the experiment and I was just going to say that if treatment continued for a longer period of...
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    Other Does prestige of school matter for post-graduate research positions?

    A lot of it was being increasingly sick and not having treatment or testing accommodations because of insurance complications and not being able to see a doctor in a timely manner lol. One semester, totally unrelated, I was hit by an oncoming vehicle during midterms so 100% of my grade for 3...
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    Other Does prestige of school matter for post-graduate research positions?

    Thank you for your advice and personal insight. I know I know my course material but it simply just did not translate to raw grades and, because of this, I’m very well aware of my inferior place in terms of being a potential PhD program admit (or not). I don’t blame anyone for it. So, I gather...
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    Other Does prestige of school matter for post-graduate research positions?

    Apparently I always find myself back here when bad things happen lol..like damn it’s been six years. Recent college graduate. I want to take a year or two working and honing my skills before graduate school. One, because I’m tired and need the break but also, two, for reasons beyond my control...
  44. P

    Minimum Water for Car Washing

    My mate used a damp washcloth to clean his car every morning for about half a year when he bought his "dream car". Extremely inefficient and constantly subject to ridicule but the car was clean :smile:
  45. P

    Someone stole an argon cylinder today

    Reassuring message, for sure. thanks twigg :) (I’m chronically clumsy and I just had to pick a work environment that is as fragile as it is expensive lol. Self-awareness is a good step towards safety though. Currently have a lock in hand:cool:)
  46. P

    Someone stole an argon cylinder today

    Uh I think the implication was that the person wanted the argon so they took it. So isn’t that theft lol. And not dangerous for someone who knows how to use it, but dangerous if the person didn’t (as far as handling it and working the valves goes) , as others said.
  47. P

    Someone stole an argon cylinder today

    Thanks for all the suggestions guys, security had footage and an individual from another lab/department took it. Reasoning is undisclosed and I don’t know what the consequences will be. I guess timing was just too perfect and they had their own hand truck. Also based on the time stamps I was...
  48. P

    Someone stole an argon cylinder today

    I know I should have. And it feels so bad, I truly wasn't thinking of it being a serious safety hazard. I could have just rolled it back into the building since the guy I went to talk to is on the first floor. I will for sure do that next time. Also, the lock that berkeman shared actually is...
  49. P

    Someone stole an argon cylinder today

    I left it tilted one of these things, which was still by cage, by the way: We did actually and it's not there :( I called campus security and they said they'll look through surveillance cameras and get back to me today. But the few people I've spoken to are confident that it's probably still...
  50. P

    Someone stole an argon cylinder today

    It is definitely in a tucked-away location but there is nothing stopping a random passerby on campus from wandering in there I agree, unless someone was watching and suffers from severe kleptomania, the idea of taking something so heavy and large like that spontaneously is insane. There are...
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