It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

      Fear not. Living abroad has not turned me into an October caroler. In fact, I remain unhealthily elated at the prospects of skipping Christmas altogether this year. (My grinch-tendencies will be elucidated in a Holiday post) No, my title is referencing the emotions which surround running gel electrophoresis. Not even kidding. 


  I’ve detailed the “bench-high” that I experience in the lab, but the excitement-wonder-anticipation emotion amalgamation that surrounds running a gel is on another emotional plane entirely. First, there is the preparation of the PCR mixtures and the 4-hour thermo-cycler run. This step requires attention to detail, proper technique, and patience. Much like a Santa-obsessed child minding their actions and wriggling in excitement on December 1st, I usually get a little antsy during this process. I double check my PCR cocktail calculations, obnoxiously re-check that the thermo-cycler is running properly, and busy my hands on lab maintenance (or blog writing) during the wait.
  Then comes the making, setting and loading the gel. This is basically like wrapping a Christmas present... In theory, the gift will appear to be more thoughtful, grander, and more sincere the nicer the wrapping technique. At least, that’s the case with gels (I contend that the wrapping quality is irrelevant at Christmas or Birthdays). Therefore, I am a stickler for proper loading technique. This is when my OCD tendencies really rear their Type-A head... I aim for perfectly straight lanes, edges free of bubbles or anomalies, and evenly filled wells. 
  The overwhelming anticipation/excitement of Christmas morning comes as the gel runs. For 35 minutes, which seem like hours when you are anticipating really, really good presents er.. bands, I have to sit and wait for the DNA to creep down the agarose. It reminds me of sitting at my grandparent’s breakfast table, my 5-year-old self ready to tear through the pile of presents visible in the living room, only to be told to sit up straight and finish my grapefruit. I have to pretend like I am cool-as-a-cucumber during this time when, in reality, all I can think about is whether or not there is some hidden gem of a band waiting to reveal itself to me.
  Finally, I get to dig into the Gel Electrophoresis goodies. Just as some people gasp in excitement while tearing into the wrapping paper of their Christmas presents, I hold my breath as the UV light flutters onto full power and illuminates my gel. I am quite happy if I see bands that I expected to see (in the case of DNA quality checks). These bands prove that my extraction and PCR protocol is valid and that I didn’t screw up along the way. Nice to have (a real drag when they are not there), but these are not nearly as exciting as having a pathogen band show up. These bands are the equivalent of getting a present that I wanted but didn’t expect. This is usually the point when I do a happy dance, let out a yelp of glee, and smile so hard I am sore the next day.