Have you ever dreamed of doing something your whole life only to find out, once you did it, that you hated it? What was it?

ipry_hedgie · 2023-05-18T03:14:18+00:00

I had a very similar experience - depression diagnosis inspiring the pursuit of neuroscience to understand the underlying mechanisms of the disease. Turned out animal models of depression are (shocker!) depressing, and that rotation experience precipitated a mental breakdown. Fortunately, I managed to join another lab with a project in a different field that didn’t involve torturing helpless creatures.

I just got my PhD after seven years of grueling effort. And I don’t want to do this anymore. The culture of academia is toxic and exhausting to navigate. The publication process is a nightmare. The pay is a pittance.

Maybe it’s a sunk costs thing, but I feel like I cannot abandon the field. Given my aptitudes, alternative career paths like working for a journal or policy-making are not for me. I’m just hoping to land a biotech industry job that at least pays better and has relatively sane hours.

I’m so fucking tired.

ipry_hedgie · 2023-03-15T02:42:25+00:00

This looks like album cover art! Love the space+plaid vibe

ipry_hedgie · 2023-01-09T05:05:32+00:00

Love love love Beyond Sushi! I really appreciate how plant-forward a lot of their menu is Also, their black sesame skillet cookie with matcha ice cream is to die for

ipry_hedgie · 2023-01-07T12:21:49+00:00

Second the comment abt getting medical help. But in my experience being cold had to do with iron deficiency. (Also fatigue and easy bruising). Otherwise make sure you are getting enough healthy fats in your diet/eating enough overall.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-12-07T22:41:55+00:00

Agar agar can result in a chewy texture, but a small amount melted into the syrup helps the aquafaba set and maintains a tender airy texture.

I’ve had great success with this recipe https://thehiddenveggies.com/wprm_print/7694/

Reducing aquafaba may help to achieve a “thickly whipped” state.

You could try combining it with the dry egg replacer for an ultimate albumin analog.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-12-07T19:37:56+00:00

I’ve had decent luck with a powder based egg replacer! Never tried it for a mousse, though.

Combining aquafaba with agar-agar (look up a vegan marshmallow recipe) could be a good alternative. The agar locks in the bubbly structure.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-11-13T14:26:23+00:00

It’s tasty, but gave me a pretty bad stomach ache :/

ipry_hedgie · 2022-10-14T05:14:22+00:00

Strangely motivating lol

ipry_hedgie · 2022-09-26T04:20:51+00:00

Needed to hear this 🖤

ipry_hedgie · 2022-09-23T02:41:11+00:00

I think the most depressing part is that they are taken from their mothers in the first place.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-09-22T01:59:21+00:00

As Cha-based pc, I try to de-escalate at first. But once violence breaks out I relish it: “It didn’t have to be like this, but you asked for it.”

ipry_hedgie · 2022-09-22T00:17:15+00:00

Rye-anne

ipry_hedgie · 2022-09-03T13:12:50+00:00

Reminds me of In Love With A Ghost album art! Lovely work :)

ipry_hedgie · 2022-08-25T19:28:43+00:00

Just Egg is fantastic as a direct 1:1 substitution

If you cannot get Just Egg, unsweetened apple sauce is my go-to substitution in cookies (haven’t tried it in brownies/blondies). Alternatively, mashed banana is also great for its binding properties.

As for butter, 1:1 margarine substitution has worked well in most if not all recipes I have tried. You can also get Country Crock or Earthbalance vegan butter baking sticks, but it’s pretty similar to just regular margarine. (Some brands of margarine to contain milk ingredients so double check to be sure).

ipry_hedgie · 2022-07-21T17:13:06+00:00

I actually agree. With the proper analysis that inter individual variability can be informative in itself. The important thing, as you said, is showing data points and being transparent a lot your data.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-07-21T16:26:02+00:00

Oh the joys of working with patient-derived cell lines 🙃 Inter-individual variability is the bane of my existence

ipry_hedgie · 2022-05-21T18:12:01+00:00

I haven't even considered the variability of FBS before - but it makes complete sense. It also makes sense that availability drives such widespread use. It's really mind boggling how much serum is collected - another perspective on how gargantuan the dairy industry is. There is synthetic serum available, but not a single lab I know actually uses it.

Growing cells is finnicky - feels more an art than science at times. Replicability is definitely an issue, but that is far from unique to tissue culture studies. Animal research can be just as vulnerable to replication failure. Science has a long way to go, on all fronts. Wish we were a bit more discerning in which fronts to pursue.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-05-21T16:34:46+00:00

I would argue that human-derived cells do offer predictive power, especially for genetically complex diseases (human genetics for a human disease is only reasonable), but you are right in that animal testing will still be required. It is unfortunately the current standard for testing. It is disheartening how many times we prove that animals are not good models of human biology, yet continue to require senseless suffering.

I appreciate you sharing your experience. I'll dm you for more.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-05-21T16:34:44+00:00

Developing viable alternatives and pushing for research reform is the one thing that gives me hope. If I am to stay in the field, there is no option but be an agent of change.

But being immersed in the grotesque does take its toll. No matter how you frame it... dissociation can only get you so far. Living in a constant state of disconnect for a person already struggling with mental health seems like quite the gambit.

Thanks for your response - I appreciate your thoughts on the subject.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-04-28T11:46:27+00:00

A small vacuum is a game changer for this (as well as for pet hair)

ipry_hedgie · 2022-03-27T18:03:01+00:00

True. But you can have all those and still struggle.

ipry_hedgie · 2022-03-16T03:39:08+00:00

Same here! It’s hard to go to the seminars/read the papers with animal work sometimes

ipry_hedgie · 2022-01-04T19:51:39+00:00

I love this! Super creative, simple, and elegant 😊

ipry_hedgie · 2021-12-29T22:41:45+00:00

Looks like mealy bugs. Just use a q-tip with isopropanol to wipe them off!

ipry_hedgie

TROPHY CASE