It's been a while

Today I used a pipette for the first time in three and a half months.

What a strange feeling it is to work in one's own lab.

While I've been submitting papers and grants, my technician has been busy preparing solutions, ordering equipment and even performing a few "experiments" (if you can call transforming bacteria tan experiment). It's almost as if we've been supplying the ship, one that's getting ready to sail off into the unknown. I was looking after the financing, while my technician stocked up the ship with supplies. We've even managed to recruit a couple of undergrads who are in the lab performing independent research projects. I even managed to bring in some Port - after all you can't run a ship without some fine spirits.

We may find new land, or we may fall off the edge of the earth.

Having no microscopes yet we are constructing new genes and purifying proteins expressed in bacteria. But that's good enough for me. So here I am finally working away in my own space, on work that is 100% mine, and I don't even know where we keep the ampicillin. With my those first few microlitres, the HMS Palazzo-Laboratory officially sets sail.

Now where's the champagne?

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Do we have a favorite vintage - or is it any port in a storm?

congratulation,
happy sailing in your discoveries of new horizons.

Congrats and best of luck. Remember to pack your eyepatch, compass, charts, and sextant. Or buy a GPS.

By Tulula's friend (not verified) on 28 Oct 2009 #permalink

"Do we have a favorite vintage - or is it any port in a storm?"
I brought back from Portugal some Graham's 10 year barreled Tawny Port - grapes from 1997 - bottled in 2007. It's pretty good, although I've had better. At home I have a fantastic bottle of white Port - I'll save that for special occasions.

Congratulations! I wonder if there is anything like a GPS in research. I have no clue where my research work is gonna take me to!