When I did my final year project at University I had to use a microscope and fluorescent dye to look at and measure chicken sperm (no I didn’t have to collect it!). I nearlly gave up with that because it was soo boring and I kept going cross-eyed.
Yes. In fact I DID give up. It was a Southern Blot (google it) that I was doing without radioactivity, using a thing called Biotin labelling instead. Radioactivity makes it more sensitive. I abandoned the Biotin method and used the radioactivity method instead.
Each of my experiments last about 2-3hours and I have done experiments in the past which can take all week, with different stages. I haven’t wanted to give up in any of these as it is the whole point of my job to try and get results. I stop if I realise I have made a mistake though, such as adding the wrong chemical or concentration. Sometimes I am tempted to give up if my experiment is running into the evening because I would like to get home, but I dont 🙂
Yep – like last night I was working late and ended up putting my experiment in a cold room till this morning – which unfortunately means I’m going to have another late night tonight!
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