10 more weeks to go!

So, end of week one of training. I finally got my research topic. It's about chiral separation of amino acids via derivatization by GC-MS. Sounds complicated right? We are mainly working on gelatin, a product from the hydrolysis of collagen. One of the main usage of gelatin is as the outer layer of capsule which will dissolve in water after consumption. Lab work will commence on coming Monday, so for this whole week, I'm doing literature research in the library. This includes reading journals, searching for relevant information on the net as well as doing some references from books. I've visited the Hamzah Sendut Library of USM and it's huge with lots of books inside. But since we are 'foreign' student there, there are lots of obstacles whenever we tried to do something, even accessing the Internet. This is the only inconvenience encountered so far.

However, today I finally I get to put on the lab coat and we are having some activities in the lab. The lab assistant took us around the lab and introduced us to some machines and ways to operate them. They have very high-tech balance, not the ordinary ones that we normally saw in UTAR's lab. Remember I mentioned about the sophisticated machines that they have in the lab? One of them is this.

This is called a GC-MS machine. (GC-MS stands for Gas chromatography - Mass spectrometry)

Well, it sounds and seems difficult to be operate but I don't think it's a big problem since everything is automated. As long as everything parameters is programmed properly, the machine will carry out the procedure and the result will be displayed on the monitor for further analysis.

The pc connected to the machine.

The black color thing is the arm that automatically transfer the samples in the bottles into the machine. The machine can even rinse the syringe automatically to prevent contamination. Very advance okay!

Oh, I have got no idea how to use this.

According to the lab assistant, the machine is purchased 5 years ago but the technology is already 20 years ago. Omg. 20 years ago de technology also so advance,  the latest one sure very very very advance loh. Guess how much it costs?

Property of USM

It costs RM318,000.00 ++!!

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The most happy thing of all is to met Jhu Jhu in the campus.

The most unexpected thing is to met the long lost secondary schoolmate, Zwai Zwai.

The most disaster thing is to travel under the hot son.

The most boring thing is to study journals.

The most lazy thing is to wake up early.

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10 more weeks to go!! ^^