Science Report
March 31, 2008
Jan Grube
Science Report: Biochemistry

Today we made the laboratory operational. We removed non science
related items from the lab area, ziplocked some of the fossilized wood
samples on the benchtop (now located in geology drawer #1) and cleaned
the overall lab area.

The old water in water bath was very dirty – cleaned basin and changed
water. Moved various tubes and ziplock bags containing assorted tubes
and scintillation vials of unknown function into box labeled “Tubes and
vials temp storage”.

Collected ziplock, biohazard and other plastic bags from various places
and moved them together into bio drawer #5.

Unpacked, set up and tested the two VWR (clinical 50 and small
micro-tube centrifuge). Both were found to work fine. Note, however,
that the 50ml Falcon tubes are incompatible with the clinical 50 as it
has a rotor for 15ml tubes. Not sure if this matters because we do not
have any of the protocols yet.

Together with the successful servicing and testing of the autoclave, we
are therefore ready to start work once we are provided with the
promised RSL protocols. I hereby request confirmation when these may be
forthcoming as we intend to enter Sim tomorrow and need to plan how
much time / effort to put into the RSL project and / or alternative options. Given the recently discovered issues with the reliability of my email account when accessed from the US, I request that important information should also be sent to Guerric and Violet to ensure that they are not significantly delayed.