Week 1

When I first arrived at CMOP, the plan was for me to do some computer-based data analysis based on samples Dr. Zuber and Lydie had collected on previous research cruises along the Oregon and Washington coasts and in the Columbia River.

Thankfully, there has since been a shift in the focus of my project (this is great for me because computers are no friends of mine). Instead, I will be looking at gene expression in eukaryotic samples collected on some of CMOP's research cruises. Because of this change, my project has been a little slow to start: I've spent most of my first week here doing background research, trying to find papers describing the kinds of procedures I'll be doing.

We've decided to try out a couple of protocols for RNA extraction to determine which one will give the best yields. I will be performing my first extraction on Monday. I'm excited to start in on actual lab work--hopefully, all will go well.

On Friday, all of the summer interns packed up for a field trip to the Bonneville dam for a tour of the facilities. Afterwards we visited the Bonneville fish hatchery, made friends with Herman the Sturgeon (a 10 ft. long monster of a fish), and went hiking around Horsetail Falls--all in all, a simply delightful day.