Good Morning World!
Like most days in the summer while working in the lab, my day begins around 6:00 A.M. if I am lucky enough for my brain to wake me up this early. At this time, I roll out of bed to
prepare myself for the gym. This helps to get my blood flowing before I conduct some awesome science. I am usually done with my workouts with enough time remaining to freshen up and shower before coming to the lab around 9:00 A.M.
Although breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I usually skip it because I am not hungry. As I walk to lab from my parking space on campus, I focus on going over my schedule for today. Although my duties vary, my day usually consists of behavioral testing, data analysis or some form of dissection or perfusion for tissue collection.
The Science!
On this specific day, I am scheduled to complete some behavioral tests using a new machine-learning technique that monitors animals’ movement. I am also planning to conduct some data analysis for another behavioral test known as the CatWalk gait analysis system. Both of these tests measure recovery of locomotor function after spinal cord injury.
Because I am working with injured animals today, I must be more aware and careful when handling them. We must care for them in a different way than if they were healthy because these animals need extra TLC. Before we are allowed to conduct experiments, we are thoroughly trained on how to care for these animals, and we try to give them proper treatment during these behavioral tests. I especially love to give my animals lots of treats, such as fruit loops and peanut butter.
For today, I will be running behavioral testing on twenty mice that received neural progenitor cell transplantation. The behavioral test utilizes machine learning, and is able to measure movement behavior of mice in a 3D space. These animals are placed in an open field where they are allowed to walk around and explore it without any interaction with the experimenter for twenty minutes.
Xbox in Lab?!?
You are probably wondering, “What kind of camera are they using to track this animal in 3D?” and the answer may come as a surprise to you. I was definitely surprised to find out that we are able to run this test with a Kinect camera. Yes, this is the same camera used for gameplay years ago, which has now been discontinued.
Is it Lunch Time?
I usually run these tests from around 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., depending on the amount of time used for cleaning the equipment in between subjects. When I am finished, I return the animals to their housing and sprint to the nearest restaurant to devour food. Remember, I
did not eat breakfast and I exercised this morning, so I am famished.
After lunch, I return back to the lab to knock out some data analysis before leaving for the day. I try to return to the lab no later than 2:00 P.M. to get started on analyzing data collected from the CatWalk gait analysis system.
Back to the Science
In the CatWalk test, the animals are video recorded from below as they walk back and forth along a narrow glass pathway. Their paws are illuminated by contrasting colors of light, and recorded by a camera beneath the track.
The computer can then analyze video footage to generate many parameters based on paw print position, run speed, and others. We use this data to discover differences from before and after treatment. For example, did stem cell transplantation improve the animal’s ability to achieve coordinated walking?
Sometimes during this process the camera may not recognize the paws as they are being recorded, or it may mistake a nose print as a paw print instead. Therefore, it is my job to look at all of these runs to make sure the paws are being measured correctly. You can think of it as similar to editing a video and making sure you are getting the right clips.
Since this is an ongoing project and there is a lot of data to look over, I am allowed to space out this work over some time rather than trying to complete it all at once. I usually do this editing until around 4:30 or 5:00 P.M., then I make sure to save everything before leaving for the day.
Time For Some R&R
Once I get home, I like to shower once again (because Texas heat is criminal) and then
meditate afterward to reflect on my day. A lot of things can happen in a lab that can cause a lot of unnecessary stress. From computers not complying with external hardware to softwares not tracing a single paw during a run, it can become frustrating and cause a lot of tension. My favorite way of decompressing is through meditation with music from some of my favorite artists.
I then finish my day with dinner, and one of my favorite things to do is cook and experiment in the kitchen. I honestly just can’t get away from experimenting, it is my life. From the lab to the kitchen I love to explore and try new things which is why I love science. Although today was very straightforward, that may not accurately reflect what tomorrow may hold or the next day after that. I just have to continue to Follow The Science!