Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Graduate Journal: Geek talk

Most of my friends here at UW happen to be pursuing their PhD's in something or the other. Since most of us are in different areas of research, we talk a fair bit about what we do to each other. Unfortunately, over the years, our conversations are becoming more and more incomprehensible to everyone else. Here's a sampling of a couple of typical dinner conversations with some of my friends some weeks ago.

"The Phantom results closely resemble my MATLAB simulations, but that Turkey breast won't respond properly to the damn ultrasound....."

"ToF-SIMS is really working out to be this great technique....I'm able to analyze complex protein films on many different surfaces......"

"Predicting protein structure to totality is still impossible, but ROSETTA is doing a really good job, and have come up with some predictions for medium size polypeptides with RMSDs of 3-4 A. Their algorithm is really neat and......"

"I've come up with a new analog screen against this protein, using an ITC to obtain accurate Ki's. If something works out, we might be able to design better inhibitors to this in the long term"

I think all of us are doomed, and in a few years from now will be complete misfits in society.

At least I found someone special and got married.

And I have a BLOG!

7 comments:

Sunil said...

Molecular Pharmacology......
I know it sounds a little complex and intimidating......but it's just the study of the interaction of living cells and organisms with the molecules they encounter in their environment (as my dept Chair puts it). Basic biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology......with some drugs thrown in.

And it is NOT Pharmacy......which is a completely different area of study, and produces pharmacists. :-)

Srikanth said...

:) To each his own argot!

Michael Higgins said...

Hi Sunil
Best of luck on your Ph.D. It sounds like an interesting subject. I spent way too many years in Ph.D. mode - perhaps because I was having too much fun.

But I will tell you, money is a nice thing. Unfortunately, one gets used to spending it too quickly.

Sunil said...

hehe.....Thanks Michael..

I've been here for a while myself (just starting my fifth year of PhD), and am now seeing some of my friends wrap up their PhDs, and get REAL jobs (paying exorbitant sums of money), so, I don't intend to stay here too long (lets see what my advisor says...)

Patry Francis said...

Sounds you've got a lot more going on than a blog.

Unknown said...

Sunil you sure did get your priorities right and to be honest reading some your phd friends comments in this post was like reading a foriegn language. You understood words but the sentence just went over your head.
Great post, will check out the rest.

D said...

didn't know you were married, amongst a lot of things!
hi