My days in the lab vary in what work I’m doing, considering some of the processes take more than a day. For example, I might be extracting plasmid DNA from a culture on day, and then digesting that DNA with an enzyme and running gel electrophoresis on it in order to confirm that I have the correct sample. The following day, I would have to begin sequencing it, which is likely to take the entire day, and then the day after that I would have to analyze these sequences, and repeat whatever processes are needed for certain samples.
Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of sequencing and analyzing those sequences, and designing primers in order to make sure that I’ve gotten the whole sequence! Not going to lie—that part is kind of tedious because it involves a lot of staring at a computer screen—but I feel that it’s helping me to understand what research is outside of all the chemicals and reactions. I’ve also just started learning how to transfer DNA between plasmids so that they can be expressed.
But, as far as what my routine for the lab is like, I usually (on days where we don’t have Howard Hughes meetings) come into the lab somewhere in between 9:00 and 9:30. If my secondary mentor is there when I arrive, I will ask her questions about whatever I’m needed to do that day, but if she isn’t, I’ve now gotten a bit more confident in the lab and continue where I left off the previous day. When she comes in, however, she’ll continue to teach me new things and talk to me about the next step in our research process.
The lab is always busy and everyone is focused, but there is still room for some talking and laughter here and there. Everyone is supportive and willing to answer any questions I have. Some have offered to teach me things that I’m simply interested in learning as they do them. I’m fairly certain that I’ve asked everyone that works in the lab at least one question!
As of late, the energy has been especially high due to the World Cup. There is a screen in the room where everyone eats lunch, and it’s recently been playing the current game. The lab bonds over it, regardless of what team they’re rooting for—speaking of which, the lab is so diverse in nationality that someone in the lab seems to feel passionately about at least one of the teams playing. Of course, that never interferes with work. I’d say it lifts spirits, really.
While I’m not an avid soccer (sorry, I mean futbol) fan, it makes the lab experience all the more fun to see everyone bonding over the sport.
Besides that, however, I tend to eat with a few of the other faculty while a reaction is going or a program is running (I can’t leave out that I probably spend quite a bit of time trying to remember how some of the machines work). Afterwards, I tend to keep myself busy or try to get as much done as I possibly can before five o’clock. It’s around that time that people begin to leave, though sometimes I stay a bit later if needed.
There are some routine events that occur in the lab– such as Monday morning lab meetings, as well as a regularly scheduled task force meeting that I was recently allowed to attend. Every Wednesday, the lab holds a journal club, in which members of the lab present a research paper or something similar to the rest of the lab.
Overall, I find the environment stimulating and I can see drive and passion in all of the lab members. I think that is part of what makes being in the lab so gratifying.
