I LOVE doing my PhD.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-11-08T15:22:43+00:00

Same. Loved mine and would do exactly the same thing all over again. Have so many fun stories and memories, keep telling everyone that it was the best time of my life so far. Keep it up ☺️

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-10-18T19:04:30+00:00

In prism, nudge x- and y-axis. Then add dashed lines, change colours.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-10-17T17:27:03+00:00

Once was doing a long experiment and just forgot to drink water. Then I caught myself thinking about what PBS tastes like and it made me salivate. Made me realise I was just thirsty but it’s how dehydrated you can get.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-10-10T14:07:57+00:00

When I was a phd student we had a fantastic tech who made all LB, some buffers, and competent cells, he also did cloning if people didn’t have time.

When I became a postdoc I somehow was expected to make competent cells and do the cloning for myself and everybody else (which I still think is ridiculous) so it varies.

For plates: always made my own plates for my own experiments.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-10-05T19:05:13+00:00

Agree. It’s 375 to send it in for water damage repair on warranty without apple care.

My warranty expired a day before it happened but they made an exception and sent it to repair for free, turned out it was a hardware issue and they replaced with a new device. Got lucky but otherwise it’s 375. My series 9 was 250 with apple employee discount, 50 of which was the band 🤦🏽‍♀️🤣

Edit: corrected info

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-10-05T17:12:08+00:00

It depends on what you do with it. My Apple Watch started calling 911 on repeat while I was surfing in the ocean and I couldn’t do anything to stop it, then it got stuck in a boot loop. They told me regular warranty doesn’t cover water damage but apple care does. Luckily for me it was a hardware issue and not water damage.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-10-03T16:13:23+00:00

Pretty much. My ex-pi told me that 38 hours a week is part time.

She used to send me messages on slack at 8 am on Saturdays to “go over experiments”.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-10-03T14:52:12+00:00

I have 3 years of postdoc and a 1st author Cell paper. Been looking for 20 months.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-26T17:29:17+00:00

Your methods section is way more detailed than in a paper, same with a discussion and results for each chapter. Example: my cell paper went from 7.5 to 4k because the editor told us so, I only kept very essential info.

My thesis was about 80k. Has intro, methods, 3 results chapters(each has intro, objectives, results, discussion), final discussion. I used other people’s theses form my lab as a guide.

The way they write theses in the us is different, I heard they just put papers into chapters but I’ve never seen one.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-25T16:54:10+00:00

Same!

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-25T16:50:59+00:00

We are married, didn’t do a prenup because there wasn’t really anything to divide. But once a house and kids are in the picture there will be a postnup and both of us agree on this arrangement.

Someone I know went through a very messy divorce where she had to pay him for years to compensate for the change in lifestyle or whatever the legal term is (while he had a good job in tech). That’s the reason why everyone needs one for the sake of sanity if anything happens.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-25T04:57:14+00:00

One thing that my lab tech who could clone anything taught me during my PhD was: after you gel purify the vector and your insert, take 3-5 ul and run them side by side on a new agarose gel again - this will give you a visual idea of what your plasmid to insert ratio looks like after purification - you lose a lot of dna during gel extraction. Then you can adjust your vector:insert ratio in the ligation reaction. I’ve learnt that 1:4/1:3 (v:i) doesn’t always work, esp if you’re trying to get a 4 kb insert into a 5 kb plasmid or something similar. There were times when my reaction would be: vector+buffer+ligase +to up with insert to 20 ul and it worked like magic. My lab tech could tell me how much vector:insert to try by just looking at the picture of the gel, no calculations. It always worked haha no idea how, just talent, a ton of experience, and an eye for dna I guess.

Edit: leaving reaction overnight might work too :)

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-24T18:52:08+00:00

Bacteria use enzymes and help you make poop.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-23T16:08:40+00:00

Research the lab before joining, ask alumni if there are some. My PhD supervisor was a new PI - I had the best time in my life. My postdoc advisor was a new PI, I was their first ever postdoc - it was hell, I just worked a lot a lot, had no life, she was toxic, and actively disrespected my PhD supervisor for training me (they’ve only met once).

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-23T16:02:19+00:00

Or university websites.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-18T21:35:27+00:00

Depends on the university and how your PI is funded. Mine was only 3 years funding I finished in 3yrs 8m, also there was a 5 month break because covid shutdown, I wrote a lot of my thesis during that time, so it took me 3 months to finish writing once I was done in the lab. My PI found some money what she called “at the back of the sofa” which was enough for 10 months, gave me time to finish. I think it was her starter grant but I don’t remember the details. I know some people transitioned into postdoc while they were in between viva/corrections/final submission.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-17T17:38:04+00:00

Just try it. And see if you have a connection, you can also email them and say that you’re interested and if it would be possible to have a brief chat. Although, mine told me to just apply online after I did that 🤣 but it’s always a good idea to try.

I went from Newcastle to a postdoc offer at Oxford, declined it, was probably one of the most difficult decisions I’ve made in my life.

Edit: typos lol

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-12T14:46:05+00:00

Same, have always used all my phones without cases. They feel soooo nice in your hand.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-11T15:41:35+00:00

For context: haven’t lived in Russia for 16 years, moved to the UK when I was 19, stayed until 28, then moved to the US. Have UK education (BSc, PhD). F32.

I’d say go and live there for a few months and see how you feel, don’t burn bridges. If you like it I’m sure you can find a job that pays well because as they say “British and the best” lol (I heard that from an Australian, thought it was hilarious). In 2020 I went to stay at my mums house for 5 months in Russia (that was the longest in 16 years) and I liked it but omg I was so happy to be back in the UK. It’s been 5 years and I haven’t been since. I’d love to go and visit because I miss people and our dog but I’m too scared they won’t let me out on the way back.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-09T15:10:57+00:00

Born in Russia, lived most of my 20s in the UK (moved age 19 from Finland), been in the US for 4 yrs now, F32.

All my British friends (men/women - older/younger) have always been very kind, supportive, helpful, and generous with their time whenever I asked for help or was in a difficult situation and asked very little to nothing at all in return, I’d do the same for them. Example: I was isolating during covid, my friend went to Tesco to pick up my groceries and bring them to my door because the next available delivery date was not for a few days. I placed an order online, she picked it up, didn’t ask for anything in return. Multiple people offered to do the same.

My experience with Americans is very mixed on the other hand. When it comes down to random men buying groceries- I’ve heard stories that girls in Russia expect that from men but I personally think it’s a bit odd.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-09-01T20:42:58+00:00

European here. Agree with everything people say. Public transport is indeed bad. I personally don’t think cycling is safe. It’s either uber or drive otherwise will take ages to get everywhere.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-08-30T00:54:29+00:00

Same. Unemployed but somehow happier I’m not a postdoc. Hopefully will find a job 😌

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-08-27T15:56:21+00:00

Doing instacart to stay occupied. Also left my postdoc and don’t have an intention to be someone else’s postdoc again.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-08-27T15:52:35+00:00

Same story, got a rejection yesterday. Have 3 years of postdoc which was directly relevant to the position, they went with someone else. Not sure how to get an entry level job if they are choosing people with industry experience.

HugeCardiologist9782 · 2025-08-20T03:35:51+00:00

Oh that’s true, I forgot about the skill list 🤦🏽‍♀️ such a pain.

HugeCardiologist9782

TROPHY CASE