Anyone else work in a bio lab?

[Chickerdoodle13]

I'm doing a summer internship at a nearby medical school working in the genetics and microbiology department. I was given a project to work on and I've been going through and doing each step. My previous research was similar so I knew what I was getting into. I actually really like the work and it doesn't even seem like a job to me. But Jeeze does science take patience! I'm sitting here waiting for bacteria to grow so I can inoculate them to be ready for tomorrow's minipreps. Then I have to autoclave some media to pour about 80 plates and I'm currently waiting for some plates to warm up in the incubator so I can streak some of my other samples.

Thank goodness we are allowed to be on the computer! I've been playing Spore these past few days. I figure its a suitable game to play in a genetics lab! LOL Next week I have to start working on a presentation and a research paper, so I'll have plenty to do then!

What do you do when you are waiting for your experiments?

 

[saddina]

chemestry, saponification.

I have several "wait 1 hour" intervials, I usually prep the next batch, if that's done. However i've also got quite the cafe in FB, from passing time.

 

[babylady4]

I work in a Lab at a Chemical facility; we do crossword puzzles and cryptograms while waiting for samples.

I have also worked in the Biology department at a University doing everything you are doing..... but I had other things to do while I was waiting.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Today was a LONG day! I got into the lab around 10:00am and left around 8:00pm. Of course our autoclave was broken this morning and the line for use was backed up five people! I finished pouring about 40 plates at 7:45 and ran outta there before it got dark. I really wouldn't mind staying at the lab late, but this area that the research center is in is not good at all! I was running out of things to do today though. I could only watch so much netflix while waiting! Waiting for bacteria to grow is like watching paint dry!

 

[Glenmar]

I work in a medical lab. I have done some microbiology. I am more of a generalist.

 

[Sherry]

I work for an environmental lab, we test drinking water, waste water, sludge, soil, air, etc.

After my first week, I swore never to drink water again~

 

[mom'sfolly]

I used to work in environmental testing. It's the kinda work where every company's unofficial motto is "your number two is our number one!". The thing (other than the smell of the samples) that I hated about that work was the boom or bust kind of scheduling. When you had a good contract, you would be working 60-70 hours per week to get everything done within the time limits; when there were only the regular jobs, it was hard to fill the hours.

I've also worked in medical research labs, and doing QA/QC for a allergy shot company.

Silkiechicken posted a hilarious video clip awhile back, with a song about a horrible project. I'll search to see if I can find it.

I think this is the video:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=445146

 

[StupidBird]

awesome video. the closest to a lab project I get today is cleaning the frig though. heh.