24-well agar plate format - Allows for some decent automation in cloning and you still get 5ml cultures of growth for producing protein.

Reformatting by hand - "I'll just label the tubes afterwards." 🤠

Fun Elrig event at
@Ginkgo
last night. Got to see the Zymergen carts again in action. They keep getting better. Big Q is how freakin expensive are they? 😭

Small joys of the lab #4: That smell of fresh media in the morning.

When you can't find an ultra-fine Sharpie. Like writing with a crayon.

A lot of lab work should not have to be thought of as experiments. More processes should be off-the shelf and dependable. But new labs still have to spend time on making techniques work that have been in common use for ages.

Makes me appreciate kits manufacturers so much more!

Small joys of the lab #3: You get as much fine crushed ice as you want. Like the best ice. Buckets and buckets of it. Yes I do put it in my drinks too - It's fine. (Disclaimer: I didn't tell you to eat the ice from your lab.)

Love this setup for integrating PCR machine with liquid handler using lids for sealing. Especially early days before you can afford a sealer/peeler. Simple. 🧘

Small joys of the lab #2: You get to spin things REALLY fast. 24,000 RPM in this centrifuge with the right rotor reaching an RCF of 62,465 × g. (Would smash these plates to bits)

Running experiments is more like baking than you'd think.

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Industry standard way of noting down gel layouts.
Invitrogen e-gel bags def my fav. Plus it comes with a pre-cast gel!

Small joys of the lab #1: Feeling like a claw machine when picking up tubes from a crowded rack.