Lunch with Important People

Today was a pretty normal day for the most part. I reviewed the Real Time PCR results with Xiaolu first thing in the morning. I was slightly confused at first, but Xiaolu showed me how to get the number of targets produced per million ACTB by using exponential equations. I still don't understand it completely, but Xiaolu wants me to run a set of RT PCR before I finish Friday, so hopefully I will be able to explain it soon. 

After that, I started another round of PCR for a different cell line. Same old same old. I put the results in the freezer to run when we get chips. 

But then, I went to lunch out. Today, Mr. Boehm was supposed to meet with Dr. Willey and I to discuss how I was doing. However, Dr. Willey got called to listen and comment on a presentation at the last second. So all three of us went to listen to this presentation on Pneumonia and COPD (a lung disease). It was the first time in a while that I did not eat by myself. We ate sandwiches while the person talked over a special type of Pneumonia that results from complications with COPD. I was pretty interested by the topic, but I struggled to completely understand what was going on (mainly because I am still in high school). At the end of the presentation, Dr. Willey got up and answered more complex questions on the subject.

(Pictured is the building we ate lunch in)

After the presentation finished, we all sat and talked. Dr. Willey said I was doing a good job in the lab and at there were no complaints against me (yay). Mr. Boehm wanted to know more about why  research I was helping with mattered. This started a rather long and drawn out discussion about what's going on in his lab and Mr. Boehm eventually understood why what we were doing is important. I agree with him when he told me that he felt that my blog was lacking an explanation of the bigger picture. I will post again soon to clarify and explain why what I'm doing matters.

Also I'm planning on shadowing Dr. Willey in the lab tomorrow, so I will hopefully have a interesting post tomorrow. Stay tuned!