CELLebraTEZ

I think the title says it all. So instead of writing about it, enjoy the pictures!    

Part of working at such a great research institution is working with mice. While my first experience as I had mentioned earlier in the blog was sacrificing these animals, my experience now is much more exciting and productive towards the scientific community. I have learned to inject mice and collect mouse tissue for further studies.  Around Thanksgiving, someone asked me, "don't you feel bad 'torturing' the animals?" While at first I did not know how respond, but then I think about it and I realize that I had to go through so much training and clearances just to be able to set a foot in the animal facilities. Ever step of the way, humane acts are enforced while dealing with animals. Animal models are essential especially for research that is being translated into therapies for various diseases or for research that is used to better understand various diseases. The best thing I can say is, if not animals then would you prefer s...

It’s been a while since I updated. Have been totally wrapped up with my new life in St. Louis and having too much fun in the lab!! Since the last time I blogged, I have started getting more comfortable working with mice, learned how to give mice injections and learned to dissect and collect tissue from mice as well! So since I last updated. I have celebrated my first Thanksgiving as an independent woman! I think I did pretty good for the first time. I made sweet potato casserole, green beans casserole and stuffing! The food was delicious!! Sweet Potato Casserole before Marshmallows  Green Bean Casserole My dinner plate Sweet Potato Casserole w/ Marshmallows  ~ Cell-ebraTez

I was really excited coming into work today! I was finally going to get the opportunity to learn to work with mice! This is the skill that regardless of what interview I have gone in for, was a make or break deal for me! Finally someone has taken the risk on me to hire me without the mice experience and I am getting to learn it on the job!! Thank goodness for people who like taking risks and taking risks with me! So I come into work! Super excited! I will get to tour the animal barrier facility. The barrier facility is a pathogen free environment so that means when we go in we have to completely cover ourselves and everything we take in with is must be sterile. So Russ, one of my colleagues also the animal technician for the lab, takes me to the facility for a tour and shows me around the rooms where my mice are kept. I am expecting Russ telling me, “oh we will wean some animals and clip tails.” Nope, the first thing I hear/comprehend from Russ is, “I am going to ‘sac’ these...

Today is a very special day for me! 1. My little sister, Nayab, turned 10 years old!! She is a decade old! I can't believe it!! She has been so excited for reaching her double digits. I think she started counting 2 years ago for this day!!  2. My first day at WashU! I was so nervous and anxious! I don't know where to start!! I couldn't sleep all night, thinking of the multiple ways I will mess up or ask a stupid question. But fortunately, the day went by very smooth! I got my own lab Bench and Desk!! It's pretty exciting stuff!! And of course, I had to go through the boring HR paperwork. Now on the list of things to do: finish online lab training, finish online animal lab training, read lots of papers pertaining to the research, be organized in the process!!  I finished all my HR Paperwork. The WUSTL system needs 24 hours to get me activated and I will have my very own Wustl email address! And while, I don't have my official email address yet, I got my Wustl ID...

"Only as high as I can reach can I grow, Only as far as I seek can I go, Only as deep as I look can I see, Only as much as I dream can I be" Being at Washington University in St. Louis is unreal! I still think I am in a beautiful dream and will wake up any time and it will all end. Fortunately, 4 days have gone by and it has not ended yet :). On Friday (11/08/13), my dad and I went for a tour of the School of medicine with Dr. Craft, my PI, and the campus is BEAUTIFUL. The research facilities are AMAZING! WashU is like the Mecca for research! I am truly fortunate to be here. While I was being given my tour, Dr. Craft and the Department gave me a welcome gift!  A WashU, School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology fleece! After the tour, my dad and I had some major shopping to do! Although I came with a car full of boxes and bags and shoes, somehow I still needed to buy more things! The list is never ending; cleaning supplies to rugs for the ba...

Last Thursday (11/07/13), my dad and I set out for my move to St. Louis!  After coming back from my grandmother's funeral in California, I only had 1 day to do the rest of my shopping and packing! Luckily, my mom had helped me get all my kitchen supplies together so that was one less thing we had to worry about!! Early morning on Thursday, my dad and packed my car and started on a journey to begin a new chapter of my life!  Boxes and bags all packed! Ready to hit the road!  Some of my pictures through the 13 hour road trip: Passing the NC/TN boarder.  Taking a break to grab a snack! Roasted Peanuts and Coke! Gas being Super Cheap!! $2.99/gal!  Beautiful fall colors. Beautiful fall colors. Approaching St. Louis!! The next day 11/08/13 on our way to my new apartment.  ~Cell-ebraTez