worked in animal science for about 8 months or so then quit. How about u? Did masters now?

Wow, 8 months on animal science! Constant exposure to animals?
LOL.... I remembered after my 1st Animal Biotechnology course I decided not to dwell any further into this field... its a little bit, too much for me to handle...
I'm doing my phD on seaweed biotechnology

yup. Very firty work need to clean shit and urine of the mice everyday.

U jump straight to phd? What the objective of your research? How u do it?

Haha, I understand how you feel... I always got bitten during feeding/weighing test
Yea, I jump straight into phD. My research basically involves in finding out the best variants of seaweed crops for carrageenan production
Hopefully the results will significantly contribute to the world's carrageenan industry

best variant means u take many different seaweed species then produce the caree-thing and then purify the caree-thing and see which 1 produce more?

Well, I won't be taking different seaweed species. I'm actually taking variants of the same species of seaweed for analysis
Farmers of Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines may be largely cultivating these seaweeds, but they do not know which variant has the highest yield.. so the production yield is not as high as its supposed to be..

then how u know is the variant? u expert in seaweed identification?

what kind method u use for research?

How I know the variant? Good question, I don't... which is why phylogenetics is also part of my project.
Neh... I'm no expert.... still learning from my supervisors haha
Some seaweeds are rather tricky to deal with.... they may exhibit different colors yet in the end they are of the same species

This post has been edited by [PF] T.J.: Sep 26 2010, 10:56 PM

so u have to pcr and identify the variant by gene sequence to determine?

and then purify the carra-something using column chromatography and then calculate the yield?

Well, molecular taxonomy is used mainly to support the morphological data. Coupled together, the proof will be significant.

As for the yield, I haven got to that part yet... need to consult foreign lecturers or carrageenan industry experts.... but it probably won't involve column chromatography haha

need to consult experts so difficult? cannot just consult your supervisor?

It will take even a longer time for molecular biology..unless you're in the bioinformatics side of molecular biology..

Edit: Just read about your project..my honours project was related to seaweed...Eucheuma denticulatum...but not for the carrageenan..for the phyochelatin synthase enzyme to be used for bioremediation...
and by the way, usually supervisiors wont let student off so early...they will ask you to do further research if you are lucky and good enough to reach your objectives early...students are the workhorse in the world of research...

This post has been edited by highwind85: Sep 27 2010, 11:42 PM

Well, the real experts are in the Philippines haha
I'm sure the industrial people (Tacara, Omni-gel of Sabah) will be more knowledgeable than us scientists here when it comes to carrageenan extraction

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Added on September 27, 2010, 11:47 pmWell, phylogenetics is part of my project

Wow... I can't believe there's actually someone working on seaweeds too (in lowyat forum, that is) haha
Yeap, I'll be working on Eucheuma denticulatum too since they are quite common in Semporna. Some even "accidentally" cultivated LOL...
Wah.... so how's your result for the bioremediation part? Are they significant?

I have a very nice and understanding lecturer, she won't do that hehe
I can't stay long too since I have a slightly more "special" scholarship

This post has been edited by [PF] T.J.: Sep 27 2010, 11:48 PM

haha..mine was just an honours project...juz isolated the cDNA, put into E. coli and expressed the recombinant protein...never get to reach the downstream part of the work...
Moved on to Molecular mycology for my RA and now doing structural biology...
Consider yourself lucky then...usually they will say "lets see what we can do next" if they think you still have time..that's why it's common to see biology grad students take 3 years for MSc and 5 year for PhD till thesis submission....do tell me if your boss really tell you that in the future..

Wow... so your Honors project involved protein work too?> You must be a very patient guy haha.... Protein work is one of the hardest to do
Actually your project is quite interesting since Eucheuma and also Kappaphycus are widely cultivated in paleontropical regions, if they are really effective in bioremediation then we'll have less polluted water

LOL, I'm opposite of you, I switched from Mycology to Phycology haha Structural Biology? Then you must be very good at computers also? Maybe can ask for your help next time... heard of this Nvidia CUDA technology, is there by any chance you guys are using it over there? O___O

Don't scare me ar.... later I cannot grad haha

Just till the part where i expressed the protein in E. coli and verify using western blot..didn't have time to purify it and characterize it..
Current project not yet reached the protein crystal part..still in cloning steps..using a method called directed evolution..

Haha...That's from my observation of a few years in UKM...If a student is good and capable, the boss will most likely ask him to do more work and try to push to the limits of the MSc/ PhD candidature to get more work done (good for the boss to apply for new grant or extension in future)...the boss doesn't even mind to pay the students from research grant if the scholarship expires (the boss must be rich of course)..
since your situation is "special" and might be different, your boss might not treat you that way...
I used to have a colleague during RA time..she was an employee in Sime Darby and they funded her studies....and sime darby only allow her and fund her to do her masters for only 2 years...she just finished about 90% of her work and wrapped up her work...the supervisor have to let her go because of that (special situation)...but still it will take her 3 years if including thesis submission and viva...

Wow.... your projects sounds very cool yet complicated
Which fungi/mushroom are you working on? Aiming to produce biocompounds for medicine? bioremediation?

Ya, I've seen some of my colleagues who are into their 6-7 years already... damn those lecturers... Actually I don't mind staying if the pay is good, provided that the lecturer lets me grad 1st haha My boss is very rich (but very stingy).... so it doesn't make much differences haha

haha...that's the thing..the salary to hire post-docs can hire 2 PhD students and 3 Master students...
Most of them will just only force you to stay till the max period of your studies...if not, they will have a bad image later...
Studied Chitinase enzymes from Trichoderma virens for industrial application during RA time..
Now study an enzyme related to bioremediation of organophosphate pesticides...looking to evolve it and alter it's properties and also to look at the structural changes...i really hope i can finish by 3.5 years...if not, i have to feed myself...

If you have the money and the time, never do a Phd in Malaysia. Case experience, I did a part time Phd in law in Malaya University in late 1990s. When I was applying, first, the Deputy Dean asked me why didn't I do it overseas, secondly, my supervisor asked the same question, thirdly, the librarian asked me the same question. I told them that I didn't want to stop my practice as a lawyer that's why I was doing it part time at MU. The only other Phd student in the whole law faculty was a law lecturer who was doing her Phd there at the same time. She finished hers and is still a lecturer there. I didn't complete mine as work took up too much of my time. It was probably a blessing in disguise as I would like a Phd which is recognised as world class. Planning to start up my Phd again with NUS next year or by distance learning from Leicester University.

ya...depend on the research area...