The title is becoming truer every day as I have been finding out. But that's why we do research to figure out the unknown, and is why I enjoy doing it. Figuring out questions and understanding things to the fullest is a big passion for me from what I have learned already these past couple weeks.
Sorry for the delay in posting and updating but it has been a busy last couple of weeks. Last week we talked more in depth about our individual projects that will combine into the research Brad has planned for Ben and I. I will be looking at the interactions with cytochrome-c reacting with cardiolipin in apoptosis or as I like to think cell suicide. Apoptosis is an important part of a cell's life. If the cell is not capable of performing basic reactions any more it is in the way so it kills itself to save the overall organism it's apart of. But cytochrome-c plays an unusual part in this. Cytochrome-c acts as a peroxidase and oxidises cardiolipin and this starts in the inner membrane of the mitochondria which eventually moves out into the cytoplasm and starts the process of apoptosis. It is part of my job to figure out, in more detail, why or why doesn't this happen.
So after a lot of discussions we figured out the basic things we need to get to solve this mystery. We have ordered all our materials now through Sigma-Aldrich and Biorad. Next week we will actually be going to visit the University of Iowa and using there Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) to gather data on this and see some radicals that are formed.
While we are waiting for supplies to get in Brad has been volunteering our services to other various tasks around town. One afternoon we went out to Le Seur, where they are hoping to build an outdoor classroom for the college, and we were chipping away at a pile of branches. We made a pretty good dent I would have to say. Another day we went and helped a friend of Brad's move a piano from one house to another. It was a good break to use our muscles instead of our brains.
Now Brad is having us work on a little side project and a paper he has been working on for FIVE years. So I have been working on the HPLC gathering data for his paper. After a bad run Brad decided to switch the HPLC from running off methanol to ACN(ACN was a by product of the automobile industry but is no longer made because they are using a new plastic so ACN is no longer a bi-product) after me and Brad switched it to methanol earlier on this year. But the switch was worth it. After looking at some data I ran today some of the peaks on the HPLC came out clearer and stronger so it is easier to tell what is what and prove the products happening in the reaction Brad was looking at.
Over all this has been a really great week for me and I am continually learning. Looking forward to going to Iowa(my home state) and gathering more data and using the ESR(which is no easy task to read the graphs let me tell you, I am still trying to figure it out after two weeks). We are also stopping by a bio company to help establish relations to the college and meeting with one of Brad's collaborators from North Carolina (I think) next Friday. Next week looks pretty event full and I am looking forward to it.
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