Thoughts of a Biotech Graduate

Biotechnology is a very new field that Malaysia is going to develop under the Malaysian Biotechnology Policy 2005 as one of the major economic activities in future.During my student days ( which was not very long ago) , we were so uncertain about our future.Some of us wish to become a researchers/scientists after we finished our undergrad studies but then we all knew that such job opportunity is very very limited. I consider myself as the very lucky one because I got the opportunity to work in a lab,although what I`m doing is not really related to my field of study.

Like I mentioned, we were so uncertain about our future,though we love what we studying and enjoying our lab works.However 5 months after my convocation,most of my batch mates have either got a job or further their studies,I realized that we Biotechnology graduate are the lucky one as compare to other field of studies.
I have batch mates who are working in the lab as a scientists,QA personnel,management,sales person..What a diversity of job scope that we can pursue! Which is very interesting as we can go into the the field that we are interested to.

The pay for a Biotech fresh graduate is very very low as compared to the other fields like engineering,business.I believe that if  we are willing to work smart and enjoy what we`re doing ( like me and most of my friends) , we are on the way to the road of succeed! I can imagine if I chose to go into a specialist course 3 years ago, there`re ready job opportunities with much more better pay as compare to my current salary and my life will me more secure with good title as well. But I might have missed so much to what I am experiencing now.

I`m currently not only enjoying my job but also enjoy to talk with people from different field and listen their stories. Since I have friends who are working in different field I can have a clearer understanding about what`s going on in the society and this have open my mind,further train myself to have point of view from different sides =)

I used to think that my uni`s course is not good enough, for example we were not well trained in presentation skills,lab equipment not enough,course content not enough,being looked down by the big four faculty students...I finally realize I thoughts,all were WRONG after I left the university.It`s a FACT that AIMST management is lousy and like s*it, but then our faculty,Faculty of Applied Science is BRILLIANT! Our beloved dean Prof. Ravi and the lecturers love us like their children.We actually been well trained in presentation skills, strong faundementals  both in theory and practicals which made us better than some of the public universities graduates. This is point the Faculty of Applied Science should receive the compliments as we all found that we are not bad as compare to some other uni.

As a conclusion,I think that Biotechnology is a rapidly growing industry in Malaysia. There are more and more job opportunities coming out there.Our advantage is,we learnt a very wide scope of knowledge during our university time so this had widen the field that we can pursue in.We can "jump" into the other field when  certain field is saturated. That`s why I feel that we the Biotech graduate are very lucky. The only thing that I`m regret is I never pump enough confident in myself when I face despise from some conceited don`t know if they can graduated doctors.I should not hate them but to let them feel shamed on their ignorance.

Some Thoughts about the Lab Coat

I miss those days when I was a Biotechnology student,wearing AIMST lab coat, walked around the lab and busying with my lab works.Although we wore the same coat as MBBS, pharmacy  and faundation students,but for Biotech students,we ONLY wear the lab coats when we are in the LABORATORY.This is because for us, lab coat is the major part of our PPE aka Personal Protective Equipments, that protect us from chemicals and level 1-2 biohazards. Therefore,we DO NOT wear it outside the lab. 

One thing that I could not tolerate during my university time was seeing the students walking around the cafeteria with their lab coat on.Gosh,what are they trying to show?The weather was hot and that was during tea time/ lunch time and they are hanging around with the lab coat on?!Are they trying to bring all those contamination from the lab to the environment?  Can you imagine that while the guy was taking rice,those E.coli,Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus or some fungi that attached on his coat dropped into the rice container at the same time? You might argue that most of the microorganism strains and chemicals that were used in a university lab is non-hazardous so why am I complaint about this ?

From the point of view of a future scientist, self-discipline is an essential for future scientific research works!If  one do not have such awareness from student time, what will happen when they conduct the experiments with higher risks in future? In addition, most of the students in my university are those who are going to expose in the environment that is full of infectious virus which can cause fatal.And yet,they still walk around with the lab coat outside the working places!  Don`t they have the awareness? This phenomenon is not only seen among the students but also the lecturers,professors and even the professionals! Is it really that important to show the identity through the lab coat when one is not at his/her working place? My question is, environmental safety is more important or showing identity through the white coat,that suppose to act as PPE? 

Rethink about it.And for those AIMSTers,do not feel offended as you read this post.As I know this might cause uncomfortable in some of you but I`m just pointing out the fact.I think this phenomenon should be noted and the use of lab coat should only be restricted at the working places.To become a professionals you have to have this kind of discipline because a small detail that we missed can sometimes cause some unsolvable problems.

Anyway.I suddenly feel like want to wear my uni`s lab coat tonight.It`s been a while since I last wore it and I knew won`t have much chance to wear a lab coat with such design.As you know,working in an animal lab  has different design of lab coat that suits our daily works better and their design is totally different from the one I used to wear during my uni time.That`s why I took some pictures for myself on the lab coat =) It will be in a clean plastic bag for a long time until I feel like want to take it out and recall my uni times.Oh,by the way,I miss those time during my final years,when I worked day and night in order to complete my works.I had a wonderful time with my batch mates,seniors and also PCR! 

So far,So BeST!

I`ve attended 6 classes of the BeST (Bioentrepreuneur Special Training Programme) until yesterday (27/06/2012, Tuesday). I personally think that this training programme is helpful for me to know about my future career prospects,preparing me to the future working place.At least I know which path should I go.Thus I don`t feel regret to join this programme.

The BiotechCorp people reminded us to put some make up when attending the classes and dress formal. I wake up early nowadays just for more time to make up,as I`m not a skillful enough to put a nature-look make up in a very short time. I don`t really like to make up,but, since I`ve chose to attend this training programme,I should  learn make up to show my respect to my job.

I`m still in learning process.Putting double eye lid tape is really really challenging and sometimes it even takes me about one hour to make an acceptable double eye-lid (my own acceptance level). I wish I could become an expert in doing these stuffs very soon so I can wake up a bit later at morning xD 

I took these photos as a record f my eyes make up looks.I`m not putting full make up because at current stage I feel unnecessary and I don`t want those BB cream and lip gloss to harm my skin.My face is badly damaged with the pimples,so I don`t apply BB cream or foundation or powder everyday.

Wait until I got my own income I shall get the Maybeline BB moose.Seem like it`s a better product for me.

1st day of the training

5th day of training

6th day of training

But I can`t spot any difference ! >,<

一路走来，每一步，都是美丽

这两个人，我从十八岁就开始认识她们。

一个是House Mate，一个是同班同学。

2009 年，我们一起升上大一，同届的生物科技系，住在同一屋檐下。

这一晃，就是个四年。

从当初稚气未脱动辄emo的小妹妹到今天眼神和脸上渐渐开始流露出那么一点点岁月的痕迹。

不得不承认，我们长大了。在经过industrial training 和 final year research 的洗涤之后。

好像上大学只是昨天的事，转眼我们就要为前途烦恼。

过几年，当我们有机会再合照，脸上有会多了什么呢？

真是好奇会娶你们的男人是怎么样的。哈哈！

大一。摄于某个星期五早晨。

尼玛我已经整整一年没有在星期五上课了！

大二，我们在实验室里做怪。

当钢牙妹还没变钢牙妹。

大三。终于等到了一个不用做研究，不用赶论文的星期五。

于是我们在绿茵草地上踢足球。

坚持

努力了一年的Final Year Project，终于随着这hard bound thesis 的出版而正式的画上一个完美的句点。明天，就要把它们送到系办公室去盖印章了。看着这几本论文，感到非常满足和开心。这是我努力一年的纪念品，也是和同学们一同不分昼夜周末假期在实验室努力工作，只为了做好我们的研究的共同记忆。我永远都不会忘记，在大学三年级那一年，我们曾是那么坚持的，不为什么，只为了要做好我们的研究，希望得到publish到各个科学期刊的机会。

我本身的研究作业，说难也不难。但是，因为一些人为因素和经验不足的关系，我的研究，差点就无法完成。当时，为了证明给老师看我能做出一些成绩给她看，我拿出了前所未有的意志力，请教postgraduate students 和Dean，终于能完成我的研究课业。我是幸运的。感谢主。

那天去见老师，她说她正尝试publish我的paper。但是，那对我来说已经不重要。虽然我完成了我的研究课业，但是实验结果并没什么突破。我的目标已经完成，至于最终能不能publish，那就随缘了。

我会好好保存我的论文，并以它为傲。因为，就如我的另一位老师所说的 ：“You should make a hard bound thesis for yourselves and keep it.You must feel proud of the works that you`ve done! ” 这本论文提醒我，将来不管遇到什么困难，都要记得当年第一次做Final Year Project 的那份坚持和努力不懈。

The Climb

"Life is a Climb"

This is so true. Life is a climb.

Though it`s really hard to climb and it`s always tiring,but you just have to keep on climbing,

And you will see the beautiful views when you reached the top =)
Have a little more faith <3

不甘心

为了这个final year project，我自问自己真的是付出最大的努力和心思。
之前一直拿不到result，千辛万苦找到原因后，以为一切都雨过天晴。
怎知我的Taq却用完了。
老师曾经责怪我浪费她的钱又拿不到result，我告诉过自己，

死也要死出足够的result给她。

我以为我做得到。事实上我真的做得到了。
但是刚刚傍晚老师的一句 “用完reagent就不用做了” 真的令我感到很不甘心。
我不甘心我的research不能完成是因为这样子的原因。
我真的不想给自己留下一个遗憾。
但又能怎样呢？
现实不允许我继续我的project了。

算了之前跑过的reactions，再加上同学的那份。
Taq会用完真的是不稀奇了。


我真的很不甘心。

一句话，胜过千言万语

我，21岁，正在和大考搏斗的大学生。
我深深的感受到迈向梦想中那颗遥远的星所要面对的挣扎，那种克服惰性的痛苦。
为了要争取更多读书的时间，我在考试前夕都会选择在凌晨起床。
对我来说，要我在这样的时间离开温暖的床那简直是件很大工程。而我又是很会赖床的人。
每一次的半梦半醒间，我都告诉自己，为了A，为了前程，为了不要被某些人看轻，我就会立刻跳下床然后开始冲刺。

但是，有时我还是会失去努力的动力。
然后我就会在书座前的白版写一些激励自己的话，譬如 “努力读书”，“work hard for your dreams”。

然后我发现，没有任何的一句话，能如下图所示的字句中能给我带来激励的效果 ：

“加油!我不要再gg了！”

是的，我不要再gg了！我必须很努力很努力！

在那一瞬间，我感觉到我的战斗能量已经飚到最高点！

噢！又到了考试的季节！

其实，我也是怕死一族~

迷失

在写这篇文章时，我其实真的很乱。

我觉得我真的迷失了，真的感到很彷徨。

我的世界在旋转，我认不清我要走的方向。

当初进来念Biotech时，我是充满斗志，充满理想的。

我立志要努力读书，享受生活，将来当一个出色的研究人员。

但是自从我上了大二后，我的课业突然变得很繁重。

也许是大一的时候太轻松了吧，我总觉得大二的课业太辛苦了。

每天早上八点就得开始上课到傍晚七点。

我几乎每天都得进实验室。

如果你以为呆在实验室里是件很轻松的事，那么你就大错特错了！

呆在实验室时间很具挑战性的事。

你必须保持这绝对严谨的的态度，清晰的思路，

还有，你必须懂得和别人抢机会来做实验。

每一步，都要小心翼翼，不然我们的实验就会功亏一篑。

晚上回到宿舍我简直就是没劲去温习功课了。

虽然买了打印机可以当天就立刻把Notes印出来读，但是我每次都很不想再去看了。

现在大考要到了，讲师们还是毫不留情的继续把他们的知识“塞”给我们。

我真的真的很压力。

我觉得我已经失去了大一时的冲劲和斗志。

上个学期，我为自己创造了蛮不错的成绩。

这学期呢？

过两天就得考OSPE。

我从早上逼自己读书到下午却还是没法读到什么。

我开始在想我以后真的还会朝研究员的这个方向去走吗？

我当然不甘于平凡。

我还有很多很多事想做。

我不想以后过的事朝九晚五的生活。

我想在Biotech这个领域有一番作为。

但，我连考试要读的东西都读不进了。

我真的好累。

我真的迷失了。

告诉我，那是为了什么？

有那个大学生不想考好成绩拿dean list？

那可是一种荣誉，一种肯定我们挑夜灯，开夜车，早起努力奋斗的成果呀！

但是，在这所大学。大家为了当那个笑到最后的胜利者而不择手段。

无可否认，大学生是应该竞争的，可我的大学里，存在的竞争却是恶性的竞争。

这。。好吗？

试想想，两个表面看起来很要好的朋友，其实背着对方出尽法宝，斗个你死我活。

为了打败对方，隐瞒，欺骗，虚假的笑容样样来。

为了争取做实验的机会，推的推；撞的撞；摇的摇，只为了抢在最前头，抢到最好的机会。

为了知道同学的成绩，不惜一切，只为知道他们的成绩，好作比较。

在这所风气极不健康的大学里。

成绩，就是衡量一切的标准。

你的聪明，才知，知识，等等都要靠那区区几科科目的成绩来衡量。

成绩好的，人人就会暗地里想着把你踩下去。当然，在这之前，大家会夸你聪明。

成绩稍差的，连草都不是，因为你连被人踩的价值都没有！

也罢。

没人踩那就更加好！

不会痛嘛~ *笑*

是吗？

我宁愿站在悬崖上，

冷眼，

静观那海里的波涛汹涌。

然后，嘴角微微扬起。

Having Holidays in the Lab

I had my one week Hari Raya break and the holidays is going to end very soon.Classes will start from tomorrow =s During this holidays I can say that I spent half of my holiday time is the lab in order to do some experiments.

I went to the lab by volunteer,with some of my course mates.We went there to do bacteria culturing on the CMC agar.CMC is the abbreviation for carboxymethylcellulose. We did this practical with the help from the scientific officer,Mr.Dinesh and also our Bioprocess technology lecturer,Mr.Prabakaran.

Since there is only 3 of us,we had the chance to prepare the agar,all by ourselves!We got the chance to go to the chemical room and take the chemicals,and the do the calculations to obtain the amount of chemicals that we need.Besides,the s.o also taught us how to operate an autoclave!All this is quite impossible when we have practical session during normal times due to the number of students.

We spent an afternoon to prepare our agar which would be use as media later and then the next day,we streak the bacteria onto the media.After two days we went back to the lab again and checking the result.To our surprise,we manage to get a positive result!!Sir said very good and told us to contact the lecturer and tell him about this ^^Sir said we are the only group who get a positive result for CMC agar =D

We are so happy to hear that and feel like we did not waste our time during the last few days!

Below is our results and also some of th epictures that we took in the lab =)

This is the positive result.

The yellow portion shows that cellulose had been digested by the bacillus.

A comparison of positive and negative result.

The results from all the plates.

We used Congo Red and 0.8M Sodium Hydroxide to see our result.

Group photo : Wong,May Chee and I

Me and May Chee

-Very good!-

I call him Bob Bradley~

As for me,this assignment is a very huge project because there`s 14 figures to be drawn,labelled and explained.I`m not good in drawing.

I spent 1hour to finish my 1st figure-the overview of human digestive system and I realized that I really got no idea on how to draw the lips from the side view=s

This is the figure that I drawn.It looks much more "slimmer" than the original figure that the lecturer had shown.I named my figure as "Bob Bradley" because it gave me the "Bob Bradley" feel at the first glance.

FYI,Bob Bradley is the coach of the USA national soccer team. =)

*Mr Bob Bradley,I don`t mean to insult you*

What is Biotech?

These are the questions that the elderly always ask me during the holidays.

"Girl,you a university student right?How great are you!Which year are you in?"

"Erm..Yes.Thanks.I just finished my first year?"

"Where are you studying?"

and my mom or my grandmother will reply "KL"

*HELLO!KL and Kedah are two different places!And FYI I spent more than 1year to correct them but I failed to correct my grandmother.*

so I will correct the information.

"No,not KL!I`m actually studying in Kedah."

"Which Uni?UUM?"

"I`m studying in a private university.It`s very new,called AIMST."

"Oh.Then what course are you studying?"

"Biotech." *proudly*

"Oh Biotech.But..what is actually Biotech?What is Biotech study about?How to say Biotech in Mandarin?"

I HATE this question most.So I will give the answer depends on my mood.

If my mood was good I would say,"Biotech in Mandarin is 生物科技,is the combination of Biology and technology.We study about Gene,Microorganisms and many more!"

If my mood was not that good or I was lazy to say much I would say "Erm,sorry I don`t know how to say in Mandarin."

After that my grandmother will say Biotech is 农业科技(Agriculture)，化学(Chemistry)...bla bla..

Ish.Biotech is a too new thing to them.Even I tell then Biotech in Mandarin is 生物科技 they also won`t understand what is that.That why I`m sick of answering them this sort of question.

Oh I forgot.Sometimes some of the relatives will ask "Do you have a boyfriend?" and this would be the most annoying one.

凌晨两点半的即兴之作

#

我越来越爱你

你就是我的一切

为了你

我失去了原来的那个自己

只为与你

常相厮守#

我知道读书时要专心，但是当我在读着endosymbiosis时突然灵光一闪，就写下了这有的没的东西。以上的那一段，代表endosymbionts和它的host的关系。

Culturing Fungi

This was our last Microbiology practical.The fungi was isolated from the soil that was obtained from mangrove,paddy field,pond and university cafeteria.My group was given mangrove soil for this practical.

The fungi species was obtained through serial dilution,same as the last practical which we isolate bacteria,just that we used a different media.The media we used this time was specialized for growing fungi.

After we did the serial dilution we used a pipette to pipette out the sample,put it on the agar and use the spread plate method to spread the sample evenly on the surface of the agar.Then put in into the incubator and leave it for 1 week.

Below are the results of the practical =)

Fungi in the plate

This is done by me ^^ Hehe felt a little bit proud to myself.

Fungi under microscope (objective lens : 10x)

This is the zoomed version (objective lens: 40x)

The biochemical test kit

Trip to Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti

Today is Tamil New Year Holiday and I had a very meaningful day.I went to Pusat Pemulihan dalam Komuniti with my course mates and also our beloved Mr.Nithi xD Actually we were told that we will pay a visit to handicapped home as our co-curriculum field trip.But after i saw all those children there I felt like calling them "handicapped" sound like insult them.That`s why I put the title of the post as "Trip to Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti" instead of "Trip to Handicapped Home". Pusat Pemulihan dalam Komuniti .

The children there are actually looks normal,just that some of them are hyperactive or Dawn syndrome,learning difficulties and other special problem.Besides there`s also 3 teenagers in that centre and they can communicate with us.As usual all of us are given a task.The guys helped to clean up the compound and girls were to draw a mural for them.Some of us just spent our time to interact with those children and take photographs.I was actually chose to participate in drawing the mural but then I found that I really can`t help at all since I`m not good in art.*can`t even draw a leaf well =S* So I went to play with those children.

Playing with the children.

Painting group at work =)

Mr.Brandon Lee at work =p

For me I feel OK to talk with them or play with them.I just treat them as normal people.They made me think of my primary school mates.When I was in primary school I had a class mate who is mentally retarded,and also another student who is elder than me.Besides,there was also a junior who is hyperactive.We all just treat them like normal.As you know there`s no such thing call "discrimination" among primary school children.So although they are a bit different from us but they still involved in our activities in school.OK let`s come back to the topic.Although I had experience to interact with these children but then I found that communication is still a major problem when I was trying to approach them.I just don`t know what they want though I was trying my best to listen what they tried to say.So I end up to entertain a girl who is always clapping and shouting,and laughing like silly people with one of the boy =.=!!! * And Mr.Nithi saw that =s*

After lunch we continued to play with the children and suddenly a little girl came to me and I hugged her.After that she played with my untied hair and then she sat in my leg. (Maybe she could feel my love haha~) I can`t see any problem on her since she looks just like normal little girl and I also didn`t ask the teachers about her.She is so adorable and this is my first time to hug a child and let the child sit on my leg.Normally I don`t dare to hug the children because they looks so fragile and some of the children also don`t want to get close with me.She makes me feel like I`m a mother .*gosh*

She is so adorable.Love her so much =)

We had a sharing session there before the lunch time.I was appointed to share my thoughts*again*.LOL I got lots of things to say but then my English is sucks so I just say a little bit.After the painting group finished their job we did so clean up before we leave.Also,not forget to snap some photos. =)

Love this photo very much ^^

Erene,Chris and I-model of the day xD

I think a lot after this trip.I have to admit that my mindset had changed after having the trip to clean up the environmets,to old folks home and also this centre.Thanks to the arrangement of AIMST Biotech faculty and I believe that this will be a reason for me to tell you that you will never regret to choose to study Biotech in AIMST because you can learn something other that knowledge related to Biotech.I realized that we are very very lucky and blessed but then we always not appreciate what we have.In my case I always blame that why I`m not preety,Why I`m not clever enough,why why why and why why why..After these trips I told myself : less complaining and whining because God really gave me a lot of things.He gave me a goo family,He guided me to choose Biotech.....It`s time for me to learn to be more grateful.

I read a book called "Purpose Driven Life" by Rev.rick Warren.He said that God has a wonderful plan to all of us and today,I understand the meaning of this statement throughly.There`s some errors occur when God create them but then God also did give them something very special that we don`t have.For example there was a teen,he has learning difficulties but according to the teachers there he is an expert in Internet!He gets know about this centre through surfing then net and then he requested to enroll that school.He can finish a task after you explain to him.No repeat is needed.I was impress on his ability since I need others to explain to me a few times and sometimes I might get error when performing the task.There is also a Chinese boy who is very focus during learning.He is very interested to the gadgets and he observed my friend`s watch for quite a long time!I was told that he is a Down Syndrome child but we all believe that he will be an expert in technology if he`s well trained in this field.

I would like to end this post with one of my course mate`s words."We are given a chance to choose the life that we like but they don`t but they never give up.So we must appreciate."What a meaningful words. =) I would also like to salute the teachers for their patience to deal with these children.There is one more thing that I want to mention.I think that my parents and grandparents gave me a good teaching at my very young age.

And so our co-curriculum course for this semester had came to and end.This subject gave me such a wonderful experience which is very important and useful in my entire life.I sincerely hope that we can have this sort of activities in future.

Me and Xin Hua.

The Amazing World of Microbes

Studying Microbiology is actually fun =)

Here are some pictures showing the bacteria colonies that was cultured in the nutrient agar.The bacteria was isolated from soil during last Microbiology practical session.The bacteria was isolated through serial dilution =)

1st round dilution

2nd dilution.

3rd dilution

this is the last dilution

*if not mistaken*