Hey Everyone!
I'm Maya, and I'm working in the lab of the nephrologist Dr. Winn with Dr. T.V. Damodaran which is researching the effects of the gene TRPC6 in focal segmental glomerulosclorosis, er, rather, FSGS. FSGS causes a failure in the glomeruli on the kidneys which then leads to an increase in calcium and waste in the blood and an increase of red blood cells and protein in the urine. It is suspected that TRPC6 may affect and add to the increase of calcium, and it is my lab's job to find out if and how this can be true. For the next 6 weeks, I am going to be measuring the calcium levels in the blood and bone marrow of mice to check for traces of TRPC6, and to be honest, I'm a little scared about the bone extraction surgery!
This past week has been as eventful as it has the opposite. Monday, I had a mini orientation. I met everyone around the lab and got comfortable with the space. I was also given my Duke unique ID and several other ID's I will need around the lab. Tuesday, I spent most of my time doing my safety modules and completeing my IRBs. They didn't have much else planned for me, so I went home early these two days. Wednesday, I started some bench work. When I first arrived at the lab, I finished another handful of unexptected modules then went with my mentor T.V. to count the number of living cells in human blood samples affected by FSGS. After I was done doing all that, I went to, what is referred to as 'the building next to teh coal pile' to get my Duke ID badge, which makes me feel quite spiffy. Thursday, I was supposed to help the lab move gain more space, but I ate a bad peach at lunch and was forced to go home around 2 in the afternoon. Yesterday, I read mostly about TRPC6, went to another full orientation with all of the interns in the entire building, then went to the library with T. V. to check out books about procedures to extract bones, the spleen, and the thymus in mice. On Monday, I have a lab meeting at 2:30, and I can't wait to go!
As for me on a more personal level, I'm just a nerd who happens to really love music, harry potter (by the way, 24 more days till the movie and 34 till the book!!!), and rocking out. As a matter of fact, for the people that don't know already, I will be bringing my guitar on Wednesday of next week to play some songs i wrote and some you guys may know during our group lunch! I am very excited, and I hope not to sound too terrible. That's all for now I suppose, and I'll write again some time next week!
Cheers!
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1 comment:
Sounds like a cool project! It'll be neat to work with the mice, though I agree 'bone extraction surgery' sounds daunting. Just remember, it's ok if you don't know how to do something. That's why you're here, right? To learn. I'm sure you'll get up to speed fast and by the end you'll have figured the surgery out.
I'm looking forward to seeing you rock out during lunch this week. =)
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