Return to the Reef

On July 1 Dea and I will drive up the Queensland coast to head back to Heron Island.  I’ve been waiting a year to go back; the last time was such an amazing experience.

 This research trip is much longer though, 21 days to be exact.  I’m a bit wary of this, because I suffered some serious Island Fever last time after about 10 or 11 days, and was counting down the days until I left.  Of course, 5 minutes after the boat had left the dock, I just wanted to go back and dive into the reef.

This is going to be interesting.

For those who read this, you’ll remember that an oxygen tank explosion levelled the research station a couple of months ago, and rebuilding hasn’t begun because of the sand toxicity resulting from the blast.  This means a makeshift lab is being constructed for us, and we may well have to bucket water up from the beach with only large tubs and a truck.  Electricity is also something we might not be enjoying every day.

Nevertheless, I’m excited to be going back to swim with the sharks, and also to watch Dea’s reaction as the first 7ft long sharks sidles up beside her.

 Since the computer lab at Heron didn’t survive the blast, I may not be able to blog from the island, but I promise to bring back some stories!

Have a great semester break, everyone!

Adrian.

Semester 5, in Retrospect

Today was officially my last day of semester, marked by the last of my exams.

Semester 5 was one of the hardest yet, for several reasons.  Chiefly, the courses seemed boring.  Macromolecular & Cellular Biochemistry was very difficult to deciper, and the majority of it was experiment specific.  Even so, it was great to learn about intracellular signalling and the control mechanisms involved with how certain genes are ’switched on’ or ’switched off’.  We hear these terms in our first couple of years, but we don’t know what it really meant until this semester.  Finally, it seems, the gaps are being filled in.  There’s satisfaction in this, but little else.  I’ll never understand how the lecturer (who was foreign) managed to add another syllable to the term ‘endoplasmic reticulum.’

The lecturers were also, for the most part, un-engaging.  It took me a while to realise that I did find immunology interesting, I was just reflecting the lecturers’ attitudes to the course, for the majority of them weren’t all that interested.  If ever you want to be amazed by the human body – study immunology in depth.  I was amazed by the delicate and comprehensive control of immune cells in the body, many of which have the capacity to be extremely destructive. Study autoimmune disease for examples.  Also, the human genome is comprised of a mere 30,000 genes, and yet the immune system can produced thousands and thousands of antibodies – each different from the last.  How? Look it up.  Oh, and if you’re stuck for an answer in an exam, do what Dr Cameron (from House) does – make Systemic Lupus Erythematosis your answer.

 Molecular Diagnostics was great fun speaking from a practical sense.  There has been no other course with such a diverse lab schedule, where one week you may be performing blood smears on your lab partner, the next week you’re performing direct ELISA to diagnose Dengue Fever, and the week after that you’re performing paternity tests using forensic techniques. The content of the course was a regression to first year simplicity because of the volume of information, which was unfortunate.  But learning that blood groups extend from A, B, O and AB to another 60 types was priceless, as was hearing about the forensic inquest into the Brisbane Prostitute Murders – a lecture presented by the actual forensic scientist who helped solve the case.   The story was gory, but by god we were all enthralled.

 Molecular Biology was certainly a chore, but only because of the monotonous men who presented it.  Frustrating times included having to learn about Drosophila (fruit fly) development- because of course they’re going to be our patients in the future.  As equally frustrating was being presented with a difficult concept, and told ‘we’re not sure exactly how this works, or is activated, so just understand what you can.’  How can I understand this when you can’t?  But in spite of this, genetics is always interesting.  I was amazed to find that a fly can develop all of its different body segments from a simple protein gradient inside the cell.  And I’ll not forget my exam answer to the homeotic genes: bithorax, ultrabithorax, antennapedia, proboscopedia…and wikipedia.

So that sums-up the fifth of six semesters in Biomedical Science.  I leave in a few weeks to go back to Heron Island for shark research, and when I get back, the final stretch begins.  And you know what? I think i’m over feeling burned-out.

Because Enough is Enough

 

You never hear the metal shredding, but the concrete pylon that serve as a support under the bridge is buried two feet into the front of the car.  Smoke pours out from under the crumpled metal. 

From the passanger seat, you can see the driver slumped over the wheel.  You only see it for a fraction of a second, but his head is split open, and he’s dead.  There’s a lot of blood and broken limbs.

This is, of course, another of Queensland Transport’s attempts at the ’shock and awe’ tactic. It’s a commercial, for speeding.  Show us some blood and guts, a bit of twisted metal, and we’ll slow down?  Hell, it’s worth a try.  I buy it.  The ad has worked, at least for me; the song with the poignant message: because enough is enough.

But then the next ad comes on, and it’s some fool speeding around city rooftops in his car.  He boldy traverses scaffolding, and swerves dangerously close to the edge of a 40 storey building – all while smiling a winning smile, and at 100Km/h.  Then, absurdly, his car launches from one rooftop to another, where he is joined by his family of winning smilers.

Now, I know that’s very over-the-top, but what the hell?  One commercial says slow down, and the very next ad shows you just how EXTREME your new car can be, how fast it is.  I don’t wonder why people ignore the crap they see on television – it’s all so contradictory that any valid message is lost.

We need to find another way to advertise cars and still keep them desirable, because really – enough is enough.

Breathing Will Fix It

No you can’t jump the tracks; we’re like cars on a cable,

And life’s like an hourglass glued to the table,

No-one can find the rewind button, now,

So cradle your head in your hands,

And breathe.

 

Just breathe.