Getting Started in Dr. Curtis's Laboratory


partial update Sept 25, 2005

The following provides details on how you can get 'up and running' as quickly as possible in the lab. In addition to the steps outlined here, I would also highly recommend that you stay a few days after finals, or come a few days early back to campus. During these times, I will have much more time to show you things in the lab. Unlike students, the first week of classes is the most hectic ... which results in a conflict where you have free time ... and I do not.

  1. ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION WITH DR. CURTIS so that he will know that you will be around. Familiarize with Dr. Curtis's on-line calander which is linked to my personal web page http://www.personal.psu.edu/~wrc2 (use this to suggest meeting times etc.) In addition to sending him e-mail, schedule a time to meet for an hour or so as soon as you are ready to get started (refer to calander). Often the quickest way to contact me is via AOL-IM, email me your screen name and I will send you a message to set up as buddys. Make sure you accomplish the following as soon as possible:
    1. Provide Dr. Curtis with Phone List / Contact information. Phone and AOL-IM lists are updated each semester and linked in PRIVATE LAB INFORMATION so that you have a quick way to contact others. Help keep this updated if information changes.
    2. Get your name on the STUDENTS link of Dr. Curtis's lab web page (found in left navigation windown and the welcome page). Having your name here will let others know to give you keys and building access.
    3. Get the password for PRIVATE LAB INFORMATION. This will provide you access to extensive information that you should look over in any spare time you have. The sooner you are aware if this information, the faster you will be 'on board'.
  2. GET CARD ACCESS TO THE FENSKE, Wartik and the Life Science Classroom Building since working after hours is inevitable. Access to Fenske is obtained by talking to Steve Black in the basement of Fenske. Working in a laboratory entitles you to request access to the graduate student computer lab (do not abuse it by dragging in friends for non-laboratory work). There is a nice color lazer printer there which is needed for many aspects of lab work since we used color-based reporter genes. Access to Wartik and LCSB is accomplished by filling out paperwork and getting your card swipped by the computer systems administrator: Contact the main office 201 Life Sciences Building (814) 863-3650 to set up an appointment and check on current procedure. At the time of this writing (9/03) my approval was implied by examining the list of researchers in my laboratory on this web page. A
  3. OBTAIN KEYS TO THE LABORATORIES. Similar to card access, this web page acts as a list of those students who should have access to my laboratory. Fenske Keys: Keys are obtained through my secretary Kathy Peters in room 133A Fenske. The main lab is room 232 and the student office is room 229. THe bacterial culture lab area (225 and other lab keys are kept on a common key ring in room 232 so you do NOT have to obtain keys to these areas). For those working in the Fenskie Bioprocessing Pilot Plant, obtain keys to 46 Fenske and the main pilot plant door (room 57).
  4. LABORATORY TRAINING MANUAL. Read through this manual to be aware of the contents (not details). This manual and many other useful things are described and linked in electronic form in PRIVATE LAB INFORMATION.
  5. CONDUCT A SURVEY OF LAB DRAWER CONTENTS. Simply walk around the labs in Room 232 (and associated connecting HEPA room and molecular biology room) looking in all the drawers to familiarize yourself with contents. Also go through the tissue culture transfer room and the bacterial culture room that has the centrifuge and spectrophotometer (Rm 225) noting that this area is shared with others. INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO OTHERS IN THE LAB.
  6. READ CULTURE DISPOSAL GUIDELINES. It is important you understand the basic procedures of knowing how to dicard transgenic bacteria and plants. It is also important that you do this properly to make the glassware cleaning procedures work smoothly. A hard-copy of these procedures is found along with the chemical inventory just to the left as you enter the single door to lab 232.
  7. Update your Penn State On-line Phone Directory Listing. Details provided under the Other-Web-Stuff in the Lab-LINKS area of the lab web page. Also send an e-mail to Dr. Curtis with this information so that he update the laboratory e-mail aliases, AOL-IM screen name(S) phone list and board.
  8. SCHEDULE LAB-SAFETY TRAINING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (If you have not previously taken this course designed for students working in research labs.) This is a 50-min 'course' that you must sign up for based on the schedule of offerings. The paperwork for this course must be signed with a copy in the lab Chemical Handling 3-ring binder and the other copied filed in the main Chemical Engineering office.
  9. EOW (END OF WEEK) REPORTS TEST ACCESS TO LAB Discussion FORUM which uses CHE600 in the ANGEL course system. The lab uses the ANGEL (www.angel.psu.edu) system to provide for weekly update of research progress and planning for the next week. Make sure Dr. Curtis places you on the class list and verify your ability to make an entry on the system by making an entry on the most current bulletin board. Complete this entry by Sunday @ 5pm on the latest End of Week report so that Dr. Curtis can start to use this to plan your activities in the lab. Read some of the other reports to get an idea of the system.
  10. APPLY FOR YOUR WEB SPACE / PASS ACCOUNT by logging into the www.personal.psu.edu and folling the link for apply for web space. You will need to be able to upload files on this account with URL links through the coursetalk system (above). There is more information about the pass account in the PRIVATE LAB INFORMATION (described below).
  11. READ THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE PRIVATE LAB INFORMATION PAGE. There is a tremendous amount of information, chemical inventories, equipment manuals, seed and culture collections .... The lab phone lists are particularly useful since these help get you in touch with other students who will be showing you things. Do not let emails linger ... DO NOT HESITITATE TO CALL PEOPLE!
  12. FAMILIARIZE WITH THE LAB LITERATUER DATABASE AND START READING ABOUT YOUR PROJECT. Check the keyword listings from the laboratory database (in the binder in the lab office). Execute the PROCITE literature database on one of the lab computers and verify that you would know how to obtain and put away journal articals. Understand the procedure for abstracting papers (found in PRIVATE LAB INFORMATION). Spend some time in the lab library (room 308) and read some of the related papers. Make sure you are knowledgeable about how to find research articles in the Patee Library and other branch libraries.
  13. CHECK YOUR E-MAIL OFTEN!!!
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