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Tip #3. Preserving UNstained cells overnight.
Cytometer down? Have a big experiment that mandates doing dissections the day before analysis? Store your unstained cells on ice. The better the contact with wet ice, the higher the viability the next day.
Get fresh ice from the machine. Add cold tap water to make the ice wet. Not slushy but definitely damp. Embed samples in the wet ice. Cover tightly, place in cold room. Done well, cells will be 80% viable after 24 hours. In emergencies, a second night on ice will take you down to 60% viable - won't be your most stellar experiment but useful information can potentially be recovered. |
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Mike Turner
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Immunology
On life as a new postdoc... |
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1. Congratulations on your recent graduation! Is life easier as a postdoc?
Thanks! It was an arduous process, but ultimately rewarding. Compared to the early stages of my PhD thesis research, I do feel that I have a clearer idea of the direction in which I'd like to take my post-doctoral research projects. However, I wouldn't say that life is necessarily easier. My expectations that this would be the case were, sadly, dashed pretty quickly! Although I no longer have to juggle lab research with classes and exams, I seem to have found other ways (like devising additional side-projects) to keep life hectic!
2. What frustrates you in the Cytometry Core?
It's always so busy! However, this isn't really the fault of the facility; it is more a reflection of the increasing number of people who are discovering the power of FACS-based experiments. The upside is that it forces one to be more organised about planning experiments ahead of time. (The downside is that it hinders one from performing those little, spur-of-the-moment "Eureka" experiments).
3. What frustrates you about Immunology?
Due to the complicated network of cells and molecules that make up the immune system, there is so much redundancy, so there never seems to be a simple yes/no answer to a question. This often makes experimental results difficult to interpret, but is also what makes immunology such a fascinating field.
4. As a successful graduate of the Immunology program, do you have advice for our junior trainees?
'Hang in there!' and remember to enjoy life outside of the lab. The nature of immunology research - long mouse experiments and week-long cell cultures - means that most students (with a few notable exceptions) will be here for at least the average of 5 years. Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas have a great deal to offer in terms of leisure activities. It would be a shame to spend several years here without experiencing that.
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