After all the stressing out about my oral exams, I did pass.  It was kind of uneventful. I was very nervous at the beginning and couldn't explain p-values versus q-values.  At least my committee let that go and chalked it up to nerves ( Read more... )

The Science Paper I mentioned several months ago has finally been published.

Here's a link to the abstract.  Let me know if you'd like a copy of the PDF and I'll send it.

I am a co-author on a paper that has been accepted for publication in Science!! Yes...THE Science!

It hasn't been published yet, but I'll post a link as soon as it is up.

Sometimes I feel like I should write a separate anonymous blog about the crazy grad student life in the lab.  Mostly I don't because I don't have the time or ambition to do it ( Read more... )

On the list of fun things to do with dry ice:

1. Put a piece in a 1.5 mL eppendorf tube.
2. Wait
3. Watch tub explode and shoot across the lab.

It's the little things that make me happy.

Sometimes I fee like I'm not so good at this being a scientist thing.  Mostly when I try to use parafilm.  For some reason, it never wants to stay on the things I put it on.  I'm not sure I can get a PhD without making peace with parafilm.

I've been redoing my microarray preparation all week with genomic DNA - basically all the DNA from the cells randomly broken up by sonication.  Then I label it with fluorescent dyes and let it bind to the spots on the array.   With this technique, almost all of the spots on the array should be yellow since the two dye colors are the same and they ( Read more... )

*Flavored coffee isn't good. I'm talking about the kind where the beans are allegedly flavored, not adding flavor shots (which are good). I keep thinking I like flavored coffee when I get it at the hospital and I keep being wrong. It sounds so good! Too bad it is not ( Read more... )

This is pretty funny:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1450915772177922792

However, their controls are a little lacking. Used mentos? I think not. Clearly, they should have used fresh mentos and a dry PVC tube. Maybe it should be repeated. If ( Read more... )