Week 4

Question 1

A hypothesis

Answer 1

addresses an unsolved question

Question 2

What are some things to consider when setting up your experiment?

Answer 2

-Variables (concentration, time)
-Controls
-Small-scale experiment
-Number of samples to be run to be time/cost effective
-Reproducibility of data to be statistically significant

Question 3

What are the main types of controls?

Answer 3

-Experimental controls
-Positive controls
-Negative controls
-Treatment controls
-Time point controls

Question 4

Experimental design

Answer 4

-Work from SOPs first
-Adjust protocols if needed to fit your needs
-Make sure you have all materials and equipment
-Make sure to label
-Make sure you have booked enough time

Question 5

Short term goals for lab

Answer 5

Completing project on time within budget

Question 6

Intermediate goals for lab

Answer 6

Purchasing novel equipment for your process

Question 7

Long term goals for lab

Answer 7

Setting up a sustainable method of production

Question 8

What are some considerations for planning and organization?

Answer 8

Review your goal and determine what is the minimum you need to complete it

-Whether you need specific reagents or equipment
- Order items
-Booking time with equipment
-Delegate any tasks to maximize your time

WIN what’s important now

Question 9

When planning a project should you think backwards or forwards?

Answer 9

Think backwards, plan out your project thinking about the ending first and work towards you short term tasks

Question 10

Why is a laboratory notebook important?

Answer 10

A record of methods and results, also known as “grab in case of fire” and “if you get run over tomorrow” books

Must be clearly written for another scientist to follow easily

Can be a source of troubleshooting

Use legal format

Lab notebooks are not personal property, they stay with the institution

Question 11

What else should be included in a lab notebook?

Answer 11

-Copies of SOPs and calculations
-Dates and titles
-Alterations to protocol
-Lot numbers, passage number of cell lines
**Remember to include if the changes were an improvement or not

Question 12

P value (probability)

Answer 12

tests whether the observed deviations from the hypothesis could occur by chance, if P value is very small, your hypothesis is thought to be true

Question 13

What are the steps in troubleshooting?

Answer 13

Step 1: Check equipment, supplies, and protocol

Step 2: Run without sample, checking controls

Step 3: Ask for advice/help (time sensitive)

Step 4: Switch gears/termintate

Question 14

Formally presenting your data can include

Answer 14

-Lab presentations (research meetings, scientific seminars)

-Conferences (oral & poster presentations)

-Publishing (journal articles, grants)

Question 15

What are industrial meetings?

Answer 15

-Focused on manufacturing practices of the week and any issues with equipment etc. Can include troubleshooting suggestions. Hosted by sales and product representatives.

-Can be weekly or monthly depending on supervisor

Question 16

What are academic lab meetings?

Answer 16

Addresses projects of the lab can be weekly or bi-weekly. Includes an external speaker or graduate student to present to the lab

Question 17

Poster presentations

Answer 17

-Posters can be left up for hours or days but usually presentation time frame is 2 hours

-Observers will come by and read through your work, best to limit your time with each observer so you can speak with as many people as possible

Question 18

Oral Presentations

Answer 18

-Mostly given by principal investigator, senior graduate students, and lab managers

-In academic settings you may be responsible for preparing the data to present for principal investigator, you will be expected to help senior graduate students with data organization.

Question 19

Publishing in academic labs

Answer 19

-Increases their presence and recognition in the respective scientific field

-Contributes to a body of knowledge

-Becomes competitive for grant funding

Question 20

Publishing in industrial labs

Answer 20

-Show their contributions to research and not just to profit

-Present their claim to a new drug (product) through clinical trials and basic research

-Continue collaborative efforts with academia

Question 21

What are some tips on publishing?

Answer 21

1. Consider each experiment as a figure in your paper, does it tell a story?
2. Compile all your figures/graphs before you start writing
3. Complete the story
4. Have it reviewed by 3 colleagues before your supervisor
5. Consult with your supervisor on how to modify your work to fit the style of a particular journal

Question 22

What are grant proposals?

Answer 22

A well thought out plan that addresses:
-What you want to accomplish
-How much it will take as a whole and individual steps (budget)?
-Who will be responsible for each step? collaborations?
-What is the time frame?
-What are the back-up plans, trouble-shooting strategies?

Question 23

What is the process for applying for a grant?

Answer 23

-Need to convince a funder you have a good idea/plan
-Soft money
-Extension of a scientific manuscript with budgets/plans
-Strong grants will have published work already in them
-Can submit to multiple agencies (with revised format)
-Collaborations (co-grants) are done but tricky

Question 24

What are some federal granting agencies?

Answer 24

-Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
-Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Question 25

What are some examples of private funding?

Answer 25

When government doesn’t give you funding

-Pharmaceuticals
-Private companies
-Private donors