laboratory adventures

Yesterday I started my research "job".  The funding for my project is just now coming through, so I won't start it until the supplies arrive next week.  In the meantime, I have been getting acquainted to the equipment I will be using and the other projects going on.  Currently, the focus of the lab is how genistein (a naturally occurring estrogen) affects the body.  The most interesting study I observed this week involves how genistein alters the absorption of nutrients within the intestine.  Each day, they have been sacrificing 4 mice and removing the jejunum (a portion of the small intestine) and putting it in a machine that measures the amount of chloride that moves through the intestinal cell and through which ion channel.  Using different chloride channel agonists and antagonists, they are able to figure out through which channel the chloride is secreted.

Today, I learned how to take blood pressure readings on the animals.  The rats that I will be working with have not come in yet, so I was practicing on a mouse.  It is fairly difficult process.  First, you have to get the mouse in the clear tube that holds them still.  They don't like it much, and get rather stressed out.  They resist, fight, and once you get them in the tube, they poop all over.  Then, you need to get the blood pressure cuff on the tail, warm the tail, and finally pray that the mouse sits still while the super sensitive computer takes the reading.  I found this picture online to kind of give you an idea of what the set up looks like.  I a hoping that it is easier with rats, as they are a little bigger, but the lab techs tell me that they are more fiesty and wiggle around more.  It should be interesting.

Then, I learned how to use the cryostat machine, which is used to make very thin (6-10 microns) tissue slices that are then mounted on a microscope slide.  Obviously, this involves a very sharp blade.  Obviously, Dana and sharp objects don't mix.  I seriously sliced open my finger while trying to mount the blade in the machine.  It was a sharp, clean slice but was also quite deep, so it was bleeding a LOT.  Blood was running down my arm while I tried to find the lab tech to get help tracking down the first aid kit.  I had to sit with my arm above my head to get it to finally stop bleeding.  Then I had to fill out an incidence report...which is not something I would typically like to do on my second day.  Moral of the story?  If you see a machine that looks like this, make sure you run the opposite direction!

So, it should be an interesting summer.  I can't wait until my project gets started because there will be a lot more for me to do.  In the meantime, I have been keeping pretty busy hanging out with friends.  Last night, we went to dollar bowling night.  I actually bowled the best game of my life, which included getting 3 strikes in a row!  After bowling, we went to In-N-Out Burger for a snack.  As we were sitting outside, 5 of the HOTTEST guys from the Air Force walked in in full flight suits.  (Luke Air Force base is close by.)  I had to make a conscious effort not to stare because they were THAT good looking.  Seriously, if one of them would have come up and asked me to enlist, I would have signed my life away on the spot.  Tomorrow, I am invited to a BBQ/pool party at a classmate's house and Saturday I am going shopping with my friend Brynn as her "post-boards reward".  Saturday night is dinner with another group of friends.  It is going to be a busy, but fun weekend.  I hope you all enjoy your weekend!  I'll be sure to post pictures of mine!