PCR Don't Fail Me Now

       Since my last post, not only has my research project taken off but also my confidence in the lab. At first, it seemed like the only thing I would be doing was getting up early and waiting by the thermocycler for hours on end only to have a gel full of primer dimers. Then, twelve PCRs later, I actually saw bands! Never in my life would I have thought that I would be doing a happy dance over a tiny fluorescent band! Since then, my mentor taught me how to cut the low melting gel, perform purification, and perform an RNA extraction. We had to travel to Albert Einstein Hospital for sequencing of the purified samples and one of the sequences showed the gene we were looking for! Next, I have to continue doing PCRs with our current primers, as well as, use special software to create more specific primers. I have seen an evolution in my research confidence and ability to make influential decisions since my first week in the lab. At first, I was constantly looking for the approval of my methods by others because I wasn’t confident in my actions. As time passed, I began to take initiative and consult the knowledge I have acquired to decide what approach I should take for the next test. I think the biggest test for me is the next purification of bands. My mentor is going to allow me to conduct the process all by myself. I’m nervous, but I am ready. If she has faith in me to successfully do the task, I can have faith in myself.