First Rotation: CHECK!

For the past three months, I've been working in Dr. Zayzafoon's Lab investigating S100A4 protein and it's effect on the prostate cancer cell line C4-2B. It was a great ride, with of all the scientific drama you should expect from a budding scientist in the room with a bunch of expensive equipment. I screwed up many western blots (a technique we use to look at protein levels), learned a lot about the scientific process, made some excellent new friends, and maybe did one or two successful western blots. :)

I have a lot of people to thank for making my rotation a success.

• Dr. Majd Zayzafoon for taking me into his lab and being an enlightening, caring mentor

• Min-Kyung for letting me use her reagents, data, and other information and giving cell lines on multiple occasions and also for adding sunshine to the lab!

• Jennifer for being a fun and entertaining benchmate, and for answering more question than I can shake a stick at.

• Kayiu for being full of humor, and lending us all the benefit of his experience because we were constantly asking him things.

• Niroop, who became one of my best friends in Birmingham, for being a all around great help the lab and friend in and outside the lab.

• Laurel, also a good friend, for teaching techniques without me even asking her and answering all kinds a questions while also encouraging me in the dark ages of western blotting.

• Vishnu, who wasn't even in my lab, but was almost like a second mentor. I owe him a lot for the information he was willing to give me and all the advice as well.

Now that I've completed my first rotation, I'm very glad to be starting my next one January 7th with Dr. Joanne Murphy-Ullrich. I'll be working on extracellular matrix proteins and cell death due to a lack of adhesion. Does the sound of that make you as excited as it makes me?