u/coralcrescent

hi! I'm fairly new to microneutralization and I use 384 well plates to test neutralization activity of antibodies against HIV pseudo virus.

my confirmation of the pseudo virus we made had pretty high titers (around the 50 thousands). in the plates with the supernatant, its usually around 10k, but my last few plates have had really low viral controls (1 to 2 thousand average) and my variation has been high.

I'm really freaking confused as to why, my coworker and I follow the same protocol and I have not deviated away from it and I'm not sure why my old plates and all her plates are consistent while my last few plates have been awful.

any tips or ideas? thank you very much

My only goal after my high school graduation was to continue going where my curiosity led me. That decision steered me into moving internationally to pursue my bachelor’s in biotechnology at the [University] before it led me to Tampa where I began working as a Research Assistant at [institution]. Unlike my peers, I never had a solid plan from the very beginning, yet the right opportunities continued to find me while I found more and more passion with every day that I was met with something new. One of these opportunities included becoming a lead Immunology lab and lecture Teacher’s Assistant under the supervision of Professor [Name] who, despite not being a Principal Investigator himself, ignited research questions within me unlike any other class or lab had before. I was a Teacher’s Assistant for a majority of my undergraduate career; it shaped me into an individual who is both well-versed in the field of immunology and adept in asking the important questions when it came to science. I believe that my unique experience being a TA set me up for success and immediately distinguished me from peers when stepping into the workplace after graduation.

Another opportunity that found me is my current position as a research assistant under the supervision of Dr. [Name]. Becoming a part of the [Institution] has opened my eyes to the endless possibilities that getting educated at [Institution] could offer me. Being surrounded by the greatest minds of our generation and people who I thought of as celebrities, such as Dr. [Really cool scientist], taught me the value of countless hours I spent working late at the lab and reading hundreds of research papers surrounding my projects. Being recognized by such people and having the privilege of asking them questions while discussing science makes me both proud of my understanding of my field as well as inspired never to stop learning. During my time as a research assistant so far, I have learned countless lab techniques including cell culture, flow cytometry, antibody staining, CRISPR-Cas9, and neutralization assays, amongst many others. My current research has three main focuses, one being analyzing different conformations of CCR5 on different CD4+ T-cell subsets, another being using ChIP sequencing to find the CCR5 enhancer in memory T-cells, and the last being a shared project with a coworker which involves finding neutralizing antibodies against HIV using a microneutralization assay. I am also writing a literature review about CCR5, viewing it as a protein with fluid mechanics and emphasizing its plasticity which sometimes allows viral into the cell. Though I am still early in my career as a research assistant, I am proud of the progress I have made so far, and I look forward to future successes and learning opportunities in this part of my career as I learn more about who I am as a future researcher and professional.

As I continue to work hard on my research, I hope that the next opportunity to find me will be the privilege to do my masters in the field that chose me and honed my curiosity into something I can use. Molecular and cell biology are the basis of all my interest; there would be no understanding of immunology, microbiology, or virology without understanding the molecular mechanics of the cell first, which is why I believe this is the right program for me. I believe that the [institution] is the right place for me because it was the first to give me the tools to move forward in my field and indulge in the research questions that have been brewing inside me since my years as an undergraduate. From the connections I have made with PIs here to the opportunities I see post-graduation, I believe that [institution] is the best match for me when it comes to my career aspirations as well as the progress of my research. I believe that my curiosity led me to [institution] for a reason, and I would be honored to be able to venture into this next stage of my scientific discovery here in an environment that I know inspires my dedication and desire more meaningful impact. 

I'm thinking about starting my PhD here. I'm just not sure about the quality of life that comes with being a PhD student here, and whether we have good PIs who are supportive/ good at graduating students in a timely manner. my options are a PhD in cell and molec bio, immunology. cancer immunotherapy, or alternatively I might consider doing my masters in molec and cell bio.

any advise on where to go from here? thanks :)

ive heard horror stories. i feel like doing a phd (at least in my field which is molec cell bio and immunology) means losing a chunk of your life to being stressed out and hating your life.

is it worth it? i have a lot of passion for my field (im a researcher at the moment) and im aiming for my masters because im scared of committing to a phd. i love my life, i love going on random day trips, i love staying up late with fiends, i love traveling. im scared that would all go away and i'll lose my mind or something.

ive been advised by more advanced people in my field to just go for the phd. but im just scared.

is it possible for a phd to be... chill?

currently not a student, just working on OPT and I'm thinking about starting an internship while working my job. It could bleed into when my master's program starts in the fall. I would like to keep working at my internship but I also need to work as a TA to get a stipend/tuition waiver.

Can I work a TAship (~20 hrs/week) and do an internship (~15hr/week) without violating any rules for my visa?

Thanks!

i made a post on here under a different account talking about how my PI treats the postdoc at my lab teally poorly, basically telling him that he doesn't perform and that he never listens despite him being at the lab basically 24/7.

im new to the lab (22f, just graduated with my bachelors) and she has treated me well so far, but im afraid im in the grooming phase so i'm trying to stand my ground from early on so she doesn't treat me badly later and doesn't overstep my personal boundaries because she is open about how she thinks people who choose science should not have a life outside of it.

my PI is out of town this month. today, my coworker forgot to send her a weekly report about how the lab is going. despite us having a meeting literally this morning, my PI texted me asked if everything at the lab is OK because she didn't receive the weekly report from my coworker. i was in yoga class and didn't see the text. she called me twice after that within the span of 20 minutes after sending the text. i was still in yoga class but hearing my phone ring incessantly made me anxious.

i had to cut my abusive mom off for calling me over and over and over again when i didn't answer her texts (she has bpd and made my life a living hell). this was a year ago and my nervous system is still hardwired to go into fight or flight when i hear my phone ring. i also overall just like my time to myself after work and do not want to receive phone calls from her.

the phone calls late after work along with her mistreatment of my coworkers just put me in a very anxious and uncomfortable state.

I respoded to her text by saying the following:

Good evening!

Sorry for not responding to your calls, I am usually very busy after work and I was in a yoga class.

Everything at the lab went well today, I'm sure [coworker's name] just forgot to send the report.

Have a nice day,

[my name]

she responded with ok thank you. am i like freaking out over nothing? sorry this is long and btw yes i am in therapy for my anxiety.