My lab life

Hello! Yea, another nerdy post on lab. Sorry, I have no life. LOL!

This week is my last week in lab before I move on to my school attachment. It's crazy how one month in lab just flies! :O

How my lab looks like.

It's a very small and cozy area where I really bonded well with all the people! I think I like it small and cozy, it feels more lively? Haha. Something like this. But of course the lab is not this small, there's another big area for typical practical lab session, but nobody works there and there is no lab session conducted in this building too. What a waste of that space right? :/ 

My working area. :)

Anyways, there was an internal audit today so the atmosphere was so tensed and everyone is the lab were like so freaking stressed, especially my mentor. :/ He was like so busy running around, have to do his own experiment, take care of admin, answer questions and many. Sometimes I think he is too nice, it's an advantage for me though! Hahaha! 

I was doing western blotting yesterday and today. One western experiment takes about 3-5days to complete. I know, such a long and tedious process. It probably will take up the bulk of my FYP. 

Alien to you? I'm incubating my proteins like antibodies! Haha! Ok, I'm making it worse. LOL!

This is a cell culture hood and it has to be totally sterile to prevent contamination to the cells. So besides western, cell culture is one thing that I have to do every single day. 

First thing I reached lab is to check on my cells. They are like my precious, if they die, I die too. LOL!

Anyways, I'm working on renal cancer cells. One flask of this easy has millions of carcinomas inside. Am proud that I'm still free from contamination and my cells are growing strong! :D 

Ok, so after a month or so in the lab I find myself not hating lab work anymore. Seriously because what I do during practical is nothing compared to the experiments that I'm doing now. I think it's because I find it really meaningless during practical sessions? Like I'm doing it because I have to do it. But now, I know what I'm doing and I planned my own protocols and things so I feel it's more meaningful and I get that sense of achievement after I have gotten my results. I think this what a true lab work should be like. :) Most importantly I made great friendship with the people there. Am truly thankful for my mentor too, he is so nice and patient and everything! :') I just feel so lucky that my FYP has been going quite smoothly as for now. :)   Anyways, I have already asked them out for buffet sessions. I know, buffet queen in action. HAHA!