Coming together

The week has been fairly productive in getting research and experiment ideas on the table. I had a few more safety training classes this week and learned today that UMich has had two radiation 'spills' in the last 15 years; maybe that is why they need to have a two hour class. The plan is to start two experiments next week. One in which I will be using some material already prepared by a lab mate (which saved me about 2 months) to inject in to the trail vein of mice to hopefully over-express a specific protein in the liver. There are a few steps before the injection that if all goes well, will take about a week. Additionally, I will start a few liver cell lines to begin examining some metabolic signaling parameters on how my protein of interest affects these processes. The one great thing about being a post-doc is I already know these things are not going to work, at least the first time. If grad school taught me anything it is that one must try, try, and try again. Also there was a sign of hope shining down from the science gods. I had emailed a professor at Mt. Sinai, Dr. Friedman, about getting some hepatic stellate cells from his lab. They are not readily available commercially, and since he discovered them, I figured this was the place to go. Not only did he respond within hours, being the Chief of Liver Disease, but he was more than happy to share his cells and was very welcoming of collaborating. It is little moments like this that really get me excited about science.

This afternoon I had to take a different bus to my car, since I was parked near the stadium where my radiation class was held this morning. It is move-in weekend here so I expected it to be a bit late, however after waiting 20 minutes, I decided it was time to start walking. I met a girl who was also waiting for the same bus, and so we started off together along the bus route hoping to find it. She is starting her master's program in some environmental sciences and we talked about moving to A2 and what we did. We did eventually find the bus and as we approached her stop we exchanged pleasantries about it being nice to meet one another. I doubt I will ever see her again, one of the many random people that come in to our lives for a moment.

This evening I went to a cooking club/pot-luck of sorts. I have turned to the internets to find some like minded people and things to do in town, which was a move corroborated by Louise (lab mom) who told me somewhat jokingly that, "oh, you won't meet anyone here," referring to the lab. I found a group, A2 Women's Club, and we had a Danish themed pot-luck this evening, with a real Dane to boot. I rounded up my dessert and wine and headed over to some woman's apartment I had never met. I guess showing up with wine and dessert is a good ticket through anyone's door. Everyone I met there was great! Lots of different backgrounds and different ideas on topics we talked about, like health care and education. We are hoping to do this monthly, which would be a blessing. I miss the cooking club Desiree and I started in CU.

Finally, I am taking off to go camping with my family this weekend; what a novel concept. Not only am I actually taking the Labor Day holiday off, I'm going somewhere and with my family.