Pretty Cool Day

Today was a pretty normal day in terms of running tests. I'm looking at the CEBPG for the final cDNA sample that I need in the preliminary testing.  Before, I had problems balancing the competitive template to native template, so I couldn't get accurate readings. This time, the peaks were within a 1:10 ratio, so I could get a number of CEBPGs per million ACTB (the standard unit across the tests). I encountered some problems with the machine and I also couldn't find supplies, so I ran out of time to check with Xiaolu. I will do this the tomorrow.

Also, I talked to Erin and Xiaolu, I will also run the tests for ERCC5 (another gene in the 14 gene biomarker) with the cDNAs that I have been using.

But, I learned some really cool stuff today. Last year, I worked with Tom Blomquist, another research in the Willey Lab. While I was gone, he helped make a new type of testing (with the help of nearly all of the other workers in the lab) that will hopefully help massively in the field. I just started reading the ninty-four page paper today, but I can give the gist of what they've developed. This paper actually hasn't been released, so think of this as your insider access into the scientific world.

A new technology called Whole Transcriptome Sequencing allows for the amounts of RNA (all types tRNA, mRNA, rRNA, siRNA, etc) in the cell at one moment to be measured. However, this method is costly and yield complex data that is often hard to interpret. Thus, Tom and the other contributors to the paper came up with a test, called Standardized RNA sequencing (Starseq for short), that involves running PCR with multiple primers and differing competitive molecules. This test allows for nearly all of the RNA values in the cell to be discovered by one (hopefully cheaper soon) test. This drastically cuts the time needed for people doing research to get their data. To quote Tom: "It's pretty friggin' sweet" 

This is what I've gleaned with the time I've had to read over the paper. Reading it is slow and slightly challenging for me, so I ask Erin when I have questions. Anyways, this test being developed would increase the reproducibility of findings in different labs while also cutting costs. I'll continue to read and I'll post more about what I learn about in the paper. Start tuned for some pretty stellar science.