The STEMamiga's

Yea!!  There are signs of new life....in the form of new STEM students and I'm excited.  Not that I'm complaining about the old blood that's been flowing around here for the past few months, (actually semesters) but the new gang seems like they are going to all fit right in, ESPECIALLY my new girls!!  I've racked my brain for this one (so hold on...its a real knee slapper....if you were born in the '70's or early 80's) but seeing as we are females are an uncommon species this time around in STEM, I unofficially named us The Three STEMamigas!

craveonline.com

BUT like so many things in my life this week, this didn't work out.  On the bright side, I've been told that there are 5 lovely ladies this semester, I can't wait to meet you all :o)

The other thing that didn't go well this week was my DNA extraction.  I tried using a new protocol that Gilbert and Matt had been working on.  To tell you the truth, I was really excited to use some advanced techniques to extract my DNA as my rudimentary soap extraction was not that high-tech.  I had my victims wash out their mouths out with a intense salt rinse for about 45 seconds and politely split the solution into a cup.

Me and my salt rinse

With the help of a kit from Promega called the "Wizzard DNA Clean-Up System" I added a resin that helps separate the DNA from the rest of the materials (frosted flakes, muffins...breakfast).  I added 1ml of the resin to Micro centrifuge tubes and added 50 uL of DNA solution, inverted the tube a few times to let the resin bind to the DNA.  Then I attached a lure lock syringe to a minicolum (which as a filter to catch the DNA.  The solution was pushed through the filter then I added 2mL of 80% isopropanol alcohol to the syringe and pushed that through the filter to clean the DNA and spun it in the centrifuge for 2 minutes on high.  I added 50uL of warm DI water and tel that soak into the filter for about 2 minutes then spun it again.  I was left with about 60 uL of a "pure" DNA solution...or was I???  I had my electrophoresis gel all ready to go and added my control sample and volunteer samples into the gel wells with the correct amount of orange loading dye and saber green.  I ran it at 120volts for 45 minutes while I was in class.  I was pumped when I got back to see what kind of bands were on my gel, but it was a bust!  I looked at my gel under the UV light box and only saw my control band.  Sigh....all that work for naught :o(

But I will try again tomorrow...so I'll be coming for all of you with salt water in hand!!!

I wanted to end this weeks blog with a great quote:

Remember that guy that gave up? Neither does no one else.

– Unknown