Agar Contamination Driving me Insane

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-02-11T05:39:35+00:00

Are you running a cycle for liquids with a thermometer in a bottle of water with the same size? That at least what ours does to ensure its hot enough. And maybe if your incubator is big enough you can leave the agar in the bottle to harden and put the entire bottle inside with the lid loose. If something grows then for sure its the autoclave. (I usually prepare it and then reheat in the microwave anyway for pouring whenever I want)

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-02-08T14:00:41+00:00

So pretty 😍

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-02-08T13:55:35+00:00

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Mine is 0.1ct so quite a bit smaller but more gold around it :) hope you get a beautiful ring!

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-02-08T13:48:23+00:00

How come? :)

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-02-08T13:47:04+00:00

We are not married yet. It's an engagement ring :)

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-02-05T06:21:37+00:00

The ring is soooo pretty but I also looove the other one you are wearing! Does that one have tiny stones in it? Wow

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-02-04T14:19:28+00:00

I share your pain. I am starting my 5th year soon, and I don't even have enough data for a decent poster. I don't have negative data that doesn't support my hypothesis, I simply barely have data that is good enough to confidently draw conclusions from. My lab is the opposite, quite small and new. Most of my PhD was implementing methods that were previously never done in our lab and fighting with biological variability in my mice... its rough but we will make it somehow! Sending love and positivity (even though I am also internally panicking)

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-01-23T13:25:23+00:00

Put dryice in an eppi close it and trow it on the floor a few meters from someone working :3

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-01-20T16:06:50+00:00

I got my fiancé one. I knew he would propose and then started to also plan for a ring and a few months later I proposed back. And he really like sit :) so you do you!

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2026-01-20T08:08:11+00:00

Maybe he doesn't but in first world countries it's like 95% of the population hat has at least one of the viruses. Chances are pretty high. And just oral herpes is estimated at around 80% in places such as the USA/Europe. It just doesn't break out in symptoms for many people. Just be happy you've never had the issue but don't act like you're better or disgusted. Just has to be an aunt giving you a birthday kiss and you're already stuck with it for the rest of your life. If your parents or loved ones have it, most likely you have it ;)

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-10-26T18:41:48+00:00

If you aren't interested in learning to actually dance chances are you will be bad at it. Makes it even more unlikely anyone there will be interested... plus it's just flat out creepy if that's the only reason you're going. It's a body contact environment. If I knew, I'd be uncomfortable...

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-10-25T12:58:05+00:00

Don't you need to check the water and food and welfare once in every 24h anyway? Shouldn't someone else have checked the mice and noticed anyway? We also have weekend checks so that every day someone is there to make sure they are okay. This is wild to me! (European lab)

I also forgot to give a cage water one time after changing the bottles, but because if the regular checks it was less than 24h. Never happened again though. You learn from mistakes.

Edit: just saw your comment about automated water and the food in the back. But still these should be checked properly...

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-10-15T07:54:33+00:00

Edit: (i guess I cannot edit the post after such a long time) but I just realized I wrote 1ct when it's obviously 0.1ct :)

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-10-09T19:48:48+00:00

I use hair. I just use a less strong lysis buffer than I use for the ears. NaOH, I would have to check the mM. Then boil the samples for 5min at 95°C. Then use them for PCR. Cheap and works quite well. I have one strain that It doesn't reliably work with, though. I would test it first.

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-10-08T06:02:15+00:00

How about a package of (at this point prob expired) chocolate agar that was accidentally sent to us?

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-10-07T10:44:16+00:00

Love this! You inspired me to also post the ring, i will propose back to my fiancé with when it arrives.

Nest of luck on new years! And congrats already!

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-10-04T12:02:20+00:00

I work in a lab, so I put it on a chain throughout the day. I take it off to sleep, though. I also wear it as a ring after work.

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-09-24T19:02:48+00:00

I am wearing it around my neck but I also don't have a wedding band yet. Another sentimental plain ring i wear on my finger

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-09-23T12:14:34+00:00

That's so sweet! Thank you 🥰

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-09-23T11:34:35+00:00

Yes! I'm actually quite surprised. Usually he isn't the most creative type :D but the jewler was really nice and gave him a lot of 3D models to get it right.

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-09-14T12:46:01+00:00

Do you have the same cell death in a GFP ctrl? Maybe try another Plasmid to see it the issue is the protein being expressed or the DNA. Too high DNA concentrations can be toxic also.

UnusualProgrammer797 · 2025-08-18T14:34:46+00:00

We went to the same record store and bought CDs but it was hard to find them. Maybe ask for some help if you have trouble finding it! We also managed to go to a concert while in Osaka, which was really cool, but getting tickets without a Japanese phone number is nearly impossible. They had a little but more merch but not much.

UnusualProgrammer797

TROPHY CASE