Argh research
Jan. 28th, 2011 03:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
motetusI could write a massive 10-page essay on how low I've been feeling for the past few months due to work/masters stuff, and by stuff I mean a complete lack of progress that made me feel like an utterly worthless failure. But I think it's best if I don't - instead let's skip to what's ended all that.
This here mass of dots my postdoc gave me this week is precious to me. The black ones show that after 2 years I've finally found a way to get my stupid protein to fold correctly in its little bubble of detergent (though I suppose 2 years isn't bad after hearing about other membrane protein groups who needed 5), and the blue ones mean I have a masters thesis to write (first in vitro proof we have that this bacterial protein binds to a particular human target - could squeeze out not just a thesis from this but hopefully a decent paper). I don't even feel excited about it, I'm too busy being overwhelmed with immense, immense relief.
(but there will still be alcohol-and-cake-related celebrations at chez Motetus this weekend, and you're all invited)
Also my boss said he could extend my contract for another 18 months if I wanted. He didn't look so impressed when I said I was planning on doing a PhD elsewhere. Sorry boss, but I'd like to work in a lab where people actually talk to me. Even if it's just a hello once a day. Bloody socially inept scientists.
This here mass of dots my postdoc gave me this week is precious to me. The black ones show that after 2 years I've finally found a way to get my stupid protein to fold correctly in its little bubble of detergent (though I suppose 2 years isn't bad after hearing about other membrane protein groups who needed 5), and the blue ones mean I have a masters thesis to write (first in vitro proof we have that this bacterial protein binds to a particular human target - could squeeze out not just a thesis from this but hopefully a decent paper). I don't even feel excited about it, I'm too busy being overwhelmed with immense, immense relief.
(but there will still be alcohol-and-cake-related celebrations at chez Motetus this weekend, and you're all invited)
Also my boss said he could extend my contract for another 18 months if I wanted. He didn't look so impressed when I said I was planning on doing a PhD elsewhere. Sorry boss, but I'd like to work in a lab where people actually talk to me. Even if it's just a hello once a day. Bloody socially inept scientists.
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Date: 2011-01-28 03:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 04:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 04:31 pm (UTC)Are you trying to tell me that the Arnold Schwarzenegger mpreg movie was a fiction??
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Date: 2011-01-28 05:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 05:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 09:50 pm (UTC)And if by profound thinking you mean looking at lolcats all day, then you're correct! :D
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Date: 2011-01-28 06:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 09:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-28 07:33 pm (UTC)As for the alcohol (and friendly yeast bacteria), I read the article: Sadly they produced only malt, but made no attempt at brewing beer due to too many possible, but unknown ingredients.
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Date: 2011-01-28 09:57 pm (UTC)Actually, this protein is pretty important for establishing bacterial meningitis, but you're fairly safe. For some reason it's considered unethical for me to infect humans with bacteria. Bloody unfair, if you ask me.
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Date: 2011-01-28 08:38 pm (UTC)Our lab is different. We're completely ept.
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Date: 2011-01-28 09:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-01 07:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-29 09:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-01-29 10:54 pm (UTC)(honestly, I don't understand what all the dots mean. I leave that to my postdoc who just tells me it looks good)