Tiffany Budiman, Entry #3, Mice Brains and Fruit Loops

This past week, I felt really comfortable and confident working on the tasks assigned to me. I continued to help Sarah condition the mice and set up the CPP boxes for conditioning and handle the second group of mice. The second group of mice had a surgery on Monday and Reem and I went down to the vivarium with Sarah to assist her. I was tasked to shave the mice and prep them before Sarah performed the surgery. I was amazed when Sarah was able to put the very small and transparent cuff around the nerve of the mice because I could barely see the nerve or the cuff. We also set up a recovery station with heated pads and gave them fruit loops and peanut butter as a treat.

When I wait for the mice to habituate in the room, I help the other people in the lab with the Western blots, watch my other lab mates, or wash up some glassware.

Watching Angeli cut brain slices

Since Sarah and Reem don't come in on Tuesdays, I'm the only one working with the mice and CPP testing on those days. I immediately go down to the vivarium once I arrive and either handle them or set up the boxes. However, during conditioning days, either Chris, an older, more experienced volunteer or Sarah have to inject the mice with the drug since I don't have the training needed to inject the animals with anything. Other than that, I sometimes oversee what Angeli does and help Sid, another high school volunteer, with the Western Blot he and Steve runs. 

On Thursday, once Reem finished the second Von Frey test on her group of mice, Sarah sent Reem and I an excel sheet that our lab uses to analyze the data for the Von Frey tests. We input X's or O's on the sheet depending on how the mice reacted and the algorithms already set up on the excel sheet calculates a score out of 2, 2 being the highest pain threshold. 

The Von Frey data on Reem's group of mice

I also met my PI for the first time today since she just came back from vacation. Next week, my PI wants to talk to me about the poster and the overall goal of the project I'm currently working on.