Doing more with less: Improving flow cytometry staining
We have had multiple requests for a detailed staining protocol, so here it is!
Congratulations to Dr Ana Acosta!
New cause for primary immunodeficiency discovered
Using gene delivery to protect against diabetes
Exciting new paper out from the lab on using gene delivery to protect against diabetes. The work is based on the "fragile beta cell" hypothesis, which postulates that some individuals are prone to diabetes because their beta cells are more prone to fail during stress situations. We previously demonstrated that the Glis3-Manf axis was central to dictacting how robust or fragile beta cells were, during stresses either immunological (type 1 diabetes) or metabolic (type 2 diabetes) in origin. Based on this data, we designed a gene delivery system, which essentially tricks beta cells into making more Manf and becomes robust in the face of stress. NOD mice, treated with this gene delivery of Manf, become resistant to diabetes. As the gene delivery system we use harnesses the endogenous insulin promoter (specific to beta cells, and upregulated during cellular stress), we can use low doses of the gene delivery system delivered intravenously, without altering the rest of the body. This gives the system a high potential for clinical translation. Read the full paper here, or check out our illustrated abstract below.
Using "I language": how to communicate with your team
- it is actually true. The problem that you are addressing isn't actually their action. The real problem is that this particular action hurts you. We all have different trigger points - messy bench, missed deadlines, swearing, having the radio on - each of these will cause one person to grind their teeth while another person literally won't notice. How do they know this is a sensitive issue for you without you telling them?
- it emphasizes the importance of the issue. For some people, deadlines just aren't that important, so it is hard to make them feel like deadlines are important to them. But they can understand that missing weekend after weekend with your child is important to you, and once you link the two they will get it
- it puts the other person in a zone of empathy rather than in a zone of defence. They don't feel attacked, they feel taken into your confidence, and are gaining an insight into what is important to you
- word spreads faster. People don't like to share that they got told off, but they will share that you are really sensitive to some particular things
- it works. Except for sociopaths, people don't like causing pain to other people. If you find that "you language" works better on someone than "I language", that is a giant red flag that that person has no empathy or ability to work as a team
An international lab
Scientists have come from 45 countries across 6 continents to work together in our lab!