So here's my first blog entry! In five days I'll be donning my lab coat and setting to work for the first time at The Henry Wellcome Centre for Biogerontology ( science lingo for the study of ageing) with Dr Korolchuk.  I start work the morning after the day of my last second year Biomed exam. 9am prompt. So any end of year celebrations may have to be a little more reserved than usual.

B: My House    A: My Lab       =D

                                                 

 Luckily I'm a full five minutes walk from the lab so there's little chance of me being late! Either way, I'm looking forward to getting my science on and getting to play with some techniques they don't let us near in our university practicals! Fluorescence Microscopy, HeLa cell Culture, gene knockouts and all manner of other-worldly-sounding things which give rise to pretty diagrams like this;  

Human Cells: Red = Cell Skeleton, Blue = DNA, Green= Collagen

 And which may ultimately shed light on questions as philosophical as 'Why do we age and die?' and as practical as 'What new treatments can we envisange for patients suffering from Alzeimers?' No matter what comes of it, it's a thrilling prospect to be involved with such work and needless to say, I've no problem missing a few pints out of my post-exam celebrations in order to get there on time, and get science-ing!

Don't forget there are links down the right hand side of my blog where you can learn more about myself, my work this summer and other related topics.
Next up, I'll be giving some background on what my reasearch involves and what I'll be getting up to over June / July. Don't forget to check back! - Adam

Sciency QOTD;

''At the heart of science is an essential balance between two seemingly contradictory attitudes—an openness to new ideas, no matter how bizarre or counterintuitive they may be, and the most ruthless skeptical scrutiny of all ideas, old and new. This is how deep truths are winnowed from deep nonsense.

— Carl Sagan''