WISE journal entry #4

                                                                                                                                

Name: Leah Gerald

Entry: #4 (2/21/2012)

WISE Week: 2

Written on Date:2/27/2012

Mentor: Sagar


today was different because I got to see a lecture by a professor who discovered something important to the research my mentors are doing. as soon as I arrived, Sagar told me what we were going to do. he said the man we were about to see ( his name was DJ Pan I believe) was the person who found out about this Hippo pathway that they work with. We walked over to it (It was in the hospital) and along the way we had some issues because I forgot to carry my ID, but I will not be doing that again. Once we got there I was surprised to see so many people there. I expected a smaller number, because I figured this was something only a small amount of people are actually interested in, but I was wrong. the room was almost entirely full. I understood little to nothing of what this man said, partly because of his accent, partly because of the content, but I could understand the parts my mentor had explained to me before, about how the Hippo pathway then lead to the Yorkie or the yap, so for the most part, I understood the basics. I left feeling like I didn't quite get everything, but like everything else that just reminded me how much out of my element I was. when I'm down at Hopkins, I feel like the slowest person in the room, and today I finally started getting used to that feeling. So far, I've been trying to get up to speed with everyone in the lab, but that's just not going to happen, so I guess today is the day that I learned to accept the fact that I am probably not going to catch up to these people anytime soon.

WISE journal entry #3

Name:Leah Gerald

Entry: #3 (2/20/12)

WISE Week: 2

Written on Date: 2/27/12

I watched as Sagar collected data from last weeks cells and put them into their statistic charts. a lot of their work involves taking data and looking at a it in perspective with other data, so that day was more of a data day. I also watched Nathaniel take measurements for new samples of the virus he would be putting in with more cells. he explained to me what conversions he was doing, and how important it is to check your math, and also helped explain more about their project and the hippo and yap genes they are working with. basically, what they know from other's research is that the hippo gene and yap correspond with each other, and tell cells when and when not to continue to make more cells. what they're trying to do is figure out how to control this, and how to tell it to stop when its been making more cells too rapidly. after WISE, I was actually really excited to go back the next day, because I feel like I understand more whats going on and I don't feel like a complete idiot all the time

WISE Journal Entry #2

Name: Leah Rose Gerald

Entry: Entry #2 (2/15/2012

WISE Week:Week #1

Written on Date: (2/15/2012)

Mentor: Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, Sagar R. Shah

today I was actually really excited at the start. I read the pamphlets Sagar gave me, and I thought I got them for the most part and was excited to actually help somewhat today. sadly, I was not yet ready to work under the hood yet, but Sagar did allow me to look at some samples and "observe" the effects of whatever they were doing to it. It was all going well, but then I accidentally contaminated this other guys samples, and I felt like crap. Before, I told myself I was not going to be one of those people that messes stuff up, and then I messed it up so, I failed at that. I just hope I didn't set him back in his work at all. I also messed up on some basic conversions so that was a great confidence booster. either way, I did a lot more watching and listening today and then I went back home.                

WISE journal entry #1

Name:Leah Rose Gerald

Entry: Entry #1 (2/14/2012

WISE Week:week #1

Written on Date: 2/15/21021

Mentor:  Dr. Alfredo Quiniones-Hinojosa / Sagar R. Shah

so my first day was a mix of nervousness and exitement. When we first got to the luncheon, I was really excited to meet my mentor and ask them all about what they do, but I kind of had a lot of questions, so it was hard to focus. When I got to  the actual building I would be working in, I got lost, but the people there were nice enough, or at least they knew I was lost and showed me the way. once I finally found Sagar at the lab, he showed me around, and mostly was helping me get aquainted with the lab and every one there. I have yet to meet my mentor, but I have heard many great things about him. Sagar gave me some literature to read about what he was working on, which I still barely understand, but I'm trying!