Tuesday–July 3, 2007

Notes:
Transfection: delivering a gene to cells -> need a carrier to be efficient ->we use synthetic, positively charged polymers b/c DNA has a negative charge.
*look up viral vector and synthetic vector when I go back.
*go to the NIH website, read about stem cells – we’re using human embryonic, adipose, and mesenchymal stem cells.
*we do GFP (Green Florescence Protein) transfection.

new vocabs, feel a bit overwhelmed haha.

1:45, Tesa is giving me a tour of the school! We ate somewhere behind our lab, where there were food trucks and many interns. Mmm, I had a good burrito.
MIT buildings are oriented in a complicated way and I have no idea where I am or our lab is. I want to explore more next time.

3:20, Tesa and I went back to the lab to change the medium, which is the liquid full of nutrients for the growing cells. We must always change the medium 4 hours after we finish transfection. Ah, I’m still scared to do things by myself! Please cells, don’t die when I make a little mistake.
*be confident!
*use a lot of ethanol spray. Spray inside the hood before and after and wipe it with Kim-wipe.
*don’t let the pipette tip touch anything else!
*try to reduce movements that disturb the atmosphere.
*be fast: cells like to be in the incubator.
*lids and caps must be placed upside down to reduce contamination.
*when done, clean up, close the hood, and turn on the UV light.