We are now rounding towards the beginning of our 8th week of quarantine. That is eight weeks of staying inside wearing nothing but sweatpants. Eight weeks of online classes and Zoom meetings. And eight weeks of staring at my computer, trying to stay productive.
What I have found to be the hardest part of quarantine is the constant feeling that I am not doing enough. No matter how much work I get done or how many boxes I check off my list, I feel as if I should be doing more. On the other hand, I end each day looking at my to-do list, shocked with how much I managed to get done. But is it worth it if I feel so drained at the end of the day? Luckily, I have found a few tricks that work for me to make sure I am staying productive while maintaining a healthy mental state. 1. Write your to-do list the night before. I have found that writing everything I want to do almost ensures that I get it done. Writing your to-do list down frees your mind from the attention-sucking task of trying to remember. I highly recommend making your list the night before. If you’re anything like me, you have so much more ambition and drive the day prior. This will allow you to wake up the next day, plan in mind, ready to attack the day! 2. Wake up at the same time every day. I know, I know - you should be able to sleep in as late as you want. You’re going to work in the living room, or better yet, working from your bed! Personally, I have found that waking up at the same every day is incredibly important for my own productivity. By maintaining a healthy sleep schedule during stressful and unknowing times, you are more likely to be prepared for when life is back to normal. 3. Take lunch to yourself. It’s super tempting to keep working through lunch. You’re at home, so why shouldn’t you be working 24/7? I’ve found that taking a half an hour to step away from my computer and eat lunch has really helped me stay on task. I have been less inclined to reach for my phone and scroll through social media during my “working hours” knowing that I am going to be getting a break midday. 4. Turn off your cell phone for a few hours… …unless you are expecting an important phone call or text. I hate to admit it, but I am whole-heartedly addicted to my phone. I can scroll for hours on Instagram and Twitter. Simply by shutting my phone off for a few hours, I have increased my productivity immensely! Sometimes I even put my phone in a different room to decrease the desire of reaching for my phone. 5. Stop beating yourself up. Maybe instead of writing two pages of your thesis, you only wrote one. Remember - it’s ok! Stop feeling like you “should” be working harder and that you “should” have made more progress. Remember, you do not need to be your best self every single day. Acknowledge your small victories and be proud of what you accomplished.
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Graduate school is a balancing act. The first year of graduate school is a balancing act on steroids. As a first year biology graduate student, I had to teach for the first time as a teaching assistant (TA), pass my own classes, and do laboratory research. For me, one of the most stressful parts was figuring out which lab I want to be a part of for my dissertation journey.
In the Biological Sciences PhD program at Duquesne University, a student does not automatically get accepted into a specific lab. Instead, you “rotate” into two different labs - one in the fall and another in the spring semester - to see which research you enjoy the most! At the end of the spring semester, you have a discussion with both mentors to see where you would be a “better fit.” My first rotation, in the fall semester, was in the Trun Lab where I studied how the addition of natural carbon sources supplement sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRBs) and optimize the reducing ability of sulfate into sulfide in abandoned mine drainage (AMD) systems. My second rotation, in the spring semester, was in the Dembowski Lab where I studied the mechanism and regulation of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1). I looked at known viral inhibitors of HSV-1 and how this affected viral and cellular gene expression at different stages. Lucky for me, both of the labs I rotated in left me with invaluable knowledge and incredible experiences. I want to share with any incoming group of first year rotating graduate students some of the “DO’S and DON’TS” of lab rotations to be the best that you can possibly be! DO a rotation if you have the option between doing one or not. Although in my program it is a requirement to do a rotation, I know that some programs give students the option to do one and some accept students straight into a lab. Not only do you get the experience of working under two different mentors, you also learn a variety of skills and techniques that may hold to be useful in the future. DON’T rotate in a lab only because you are comfortable with the science. My research experience in my undergraduate institution was COMPLETELY different than anything I did in my first year graduate school career. I found new biological fields that I am passionate about that I was never exposed to in my past. If I would have limited myself solely on what I have done in the past, I wouldn’t have found this new found love for environmental microbiology or virology. DO show enthusiasm and an impeccable work ethic. The best way to show enthusiasm is to be excited about the science! Be active during lab meetings, read any assigned papers are articles concerning your project, and overall, be present! A good chunk of the time, I would study in the lab if I did not have any wet lab projects at the time. This showed both of my rotating mentors that I am present, I am a good student, and I do see myself being a part of the lab. DON’T be afraid to get down and dirty - in both the literal and metaphoric sense. When I was working in the Trun Lab, I quickly learned that AMD systems are not the cleanest things in the world. Some AMD systems have extremely high concentrations of metal contaminates such as iron, magnesium, and/or sulfate. For a cost effective supplementation to SRBs, I used natural carbon sources to help remediate/lower such concentrations. These natural carbon sources included mushroom compost, hay, and cow manure. Yes - you read that right - cow manure. Although I was skeptical at first, I ended up being really excited about the science and found myself enjoying the beauty of AMD systems. In a more metaphorical sense, don’t be afraid to actively participate in the lab and maybe even take on more work (as long as it’s not sacrificing your mental health). For example, in the Dembowski Lab, I would occasionally restock items that were low, autoclave and take out the trash, and put away any packages that were delivered that day. These tasks did not require any extra brain power or threw me off my schedule. This showed my mentor that I was willing to go the extra mile and help keep the lab running smoothly. DO keep an eye out for lab dynamics. What time is everyone else coming in? What kind of personal protection equipment (PPE) is everyone else wearing? How long are people in the lab on a typical day? What is everyone else’s relationship like with the mentor? Is this a life style that you see yourself partaking in during the next 4-5 years? Ask yourself these questions when you’re rotating in the lab. Also, don’t be afraid to get close with the other graduate students in the lab, permanent members (i.e. the lab manager), and of course, your potential mentor! DON’T come in with a chip on your shoulder. No matter what your walk of life was before entering a PhD program, whether you came straight out of undergrad, a Masters program, or from the work force, you need to remember that you are now a FIRST YEAR graduate student. You need to be open to new ideas and processes, and learn the ways of the lab before questioning those methods. The worst thing you can do is put a bad taste in your colleagues’ mouths because you think that you have all of the right answers. Be willing to learn and to take criticism. And quite frankly, at this point of your career, no one cares what you’ve done in the past; it’s all about the name you make for yourself now! DO have fun! Each lab rotation is going to be stressful in one way or another. You will need to find time for yourself to keep sane. Just because you’re working in the lab every day, that does not mean that you have to stay there 24/7! Combat this by meeting graduate students in other labs and grabbing lunch with them! Ask older graduate students about their first year experiences. Get close with the other members in your first year cohort! You’re not alone in this - you are all going through the same experience together! For me, I have just finished both of my lab rotations at Duquesne University. Both the Trun Lab and Dembowski Lab left me with outstanding experiences that have ignited my love for science. Both mentors were incredible and I gained so much lab experience in both labs. Unfortunately, this has made my decision of which lab to join that much harder. After much deliberation, I have ultimately decided (and have been accepted!) to work in the Dembowski Lab where I will be studying virology for my dissertation journey! Stay tuned for more updates when quarantine is over and I actually get to start on my own research in the lab! “So, why haven’t scientists come up with a vaccine yet?”
“Can’t the doctors just prescribe me an antibiotic?” “What do you mean you’re not studying the Coronavirus? I thought it would be ‘all hands-on deck’.” As a scientist, these are but a few questions I have received since the first case of the COVID-19 disease hit the news. I am now here to answer them in full confidence:
With all this said, I still feel confident to answer some misconceptions and general questions that hold true about the virus. “The COVID-19 virus is infecting everyone!” The virus itself is actually SARS-CoV-2. The disease that is caused by the virus is termed COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 comes from a family of Coronaviruses that include MERS (Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). “How are we testing if someone has the disease?” The test kit for an active infection involves Real Time Reverse Transcriptase (RT)-PCR (polymerase chain reaction). This is a very common practice in most laboratories! PCR is used to study gene expression levels. In this case, we are looking for viral RNA found in a person’s upper and lower respiratory sample. To determine the presence of a previous infection, serology tests are done to test the presence of antibodies to MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV. The body’s immune system produces antibodies to attack viruses and other microorganisms during infection. The presence of antibodies indicates that a person was previously infected. This is done via two screening tests and a confirmatory test. The screening tests are done via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). An ELISA is a technique that detects antibodies or infectious agents in a sample. ELISA looks for the presence and concentration of viral proteins, specifically the nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) proteins. A positive ELISA for one or both antibodies is followed by a microneutralization assay. This measures virus specific neutralizing antibodies or antibodies that are able to neutralize the virus. “We’ll all be ok if we just don’t touch our faces.” There is a reason everyone is emphasizing and preaching social distancing! The virus is mainly spread via respiratory droplets when a person coughs or sneezes. Normally, this spread happens within 6 feet of another person. Hence the reason for the recommended 6 feet social distancing! Avoiding touching your face can lower your chance of acquiring the virus; however, that’s only the case if you continue to wash your hands (which we all should have been doing anyways!) and being aware of your contact with others. Overall, it is important that we continue to protect ourselves, our families, and loved ones. It’s ok to be scared and anxious about the unknown. Continue to stay informed and remember to keep a steady head. Trust in the scientists and trust in our health care professionals. Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/testing.html https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00798-8 https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/basics/test-approve.html https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 |
Jessica PackardI will blog here about my life as a PhD student, research, and other science events. Archives
May 2020
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