The “Controllables”
15 July 2022
Biology and the molecular biosciences is a discipline of nuance and subtlety - our “breakthrough” discoveries are not dramatic in the moment - a slightly darker colour change, a small band appearing, or a reading that is slightly lower or higher than we expected. This reflects the complexity of organisms and how tightly constructed every part of our biology is. Even a 5-10% shift in gene expression can mean the difference between normal cell growth and cancer. A 5-10% difference might also mean nothing - it could just be the statistical margin of error. The thin line that separates genuine breakthroughs from random background noise only exists if we can control as many experimental conditions as possible.
The Mimic
8 July 2022
It’s your first time in a lab, seeing all the chemicals, liquids, glass beakers, and sharps - all you’re trying to do is not get hurt or break something expensive. You’re somehow supposed to follow a huge list of complicated instructions using equipment you’ve never seen before to do an experiment you’ve never heard of before. Everyone says lab skills are essential for finding jobs, but is it this hard for everyone? Feeling like you don’t know where to start is very common. You need a plan and systematic strategy for learning, especially when it comes to complex professional skillsets like lab techniques. Today let’s assume we’re all novices starting from the beginning, and talk about how to get the most out of lab classes using the mimic or copycat method.