After 2 years, first real success in my research.

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dullard

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
26,099
4,744
126
Its a nice day today. I've been working since October 2000 on redesigning a DNA amplifier. I spent 20 months doing computer modeling, and the computers said it will work. In July of this year I built the machine, and started programming the logic. Since then I've been working with water instead of DNA and the water tests said everything will work. But today I ran my first real test. Everything went smoothly - its always nice to see a couple years of work pay off.
 
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Entity

Lifer
Oct 11, 1999
10,090
0
0
Congrats. I won't ask details, for fear that you will fulfill your nickname; regardless, it's nice to hear that things went well for a fellow AT'er. :D

Rob
 
Kadarin

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
<Bill & Ted>Excellent!</Bill & Ted>

It's excellent when preparation and hard work pays off, and I wish the best of luck to you in the future. By the way, what's a DNA amplifier?
 
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GoodToGo

Diamond Member
Jul 16, 2000
3,516
1
0
Good job! Research in such a complicated field involving computers can be very hard. Now WTH is a DNA amplifier? :p
 
dullard

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
26,099
4,744
126
Originally posted by: notfred
What's a DNA amplifier do?
Click to expand...
Simplified answer:
A commonly used reaction called the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is frequently used in several fields of work. An enzyme takes a strand of DNA and makes a copy of it. To do that requires 3 main steps - make your sample (DNA + enzyme + raw materials) hot, cold, then medium in temperature. Each time you repeat the steps, you can double the amount of DNA. So if you had 1 strand, after one cycle you'd have 2, then 4, 8, 16, 32...billions of copies.

Why would you want a DNA amplifier? Suppose you had an unknown off-white powder fall out of your mailbox and all but one tiny grain blew away. Suppose that could be anthrax. Well one tiny bit of dust is too small for any conventional tests to work on. But if you had billions more then you could easily work with it.

Or suppose you are in the doctors office and your doctor thinks you have a virus. Pretend there is only a minute amount of that virus in your bloodstream. The doctor can remove a gallon of blood and then have enough sample to test, or your doctor can remove a small drop and amplify what is in there. Your chioce.

PCR is a bit more complicated than that, but I hope this gives the general drift.

Edit: What is my research? Typical PCR machines take 2-3 hours to operate. If your doctor want to test a sample, it is usually send off to a lab, and you get your answer back in 3-7 days. My goal is to drastically reduce the time required. My machine ran in 13 minutes (although I'm trying to get it down to 5). Thus your doctor could have one in his/her office and you get your results by the time you get home.
 
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NuclearFusi0n

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2001
7,028
0
0
Originally posted by: dullard

Edit: What is my research? Typical PCR machines take 2-3 hours to operate. If your doctor want to test a sample, it is usually send off to a lab, and you get your answer back in 3-7 days. My goal is to drastically reduce the time required. My machine ran in 13 minutes (although I'm trying to get it down to 5). Thus your doctor could have one in his/her office and you get your results by the time you get home.
Click to expand...
Doesn't your company keep you under an NDA?
 
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HamSupLo

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2001
4,021
0
0
do you work for a university or a private company? sounds like someone is gonna be rich ;)
 
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NogginBoink

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
5,322
0
0
Thirteen minutes for a PCR amplification! Wow!

And I assume it's all automated?

That's impressive.

PCR is like *the* tool for genetics research. Most anything that has to do with DNA relies on PCR for the researchers/doctors/whoever to get a large enough sample to work with. It's hard to overstate the importance of polymerase chain reaction in modern medicine/research.

Dullard, congratulations. You must be more proud of this than any of us can truly appreciate.
 
BoberFett

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
Originally posted by: dullard
Originally posted by: notfred
What's a DNA amplifier do?
Click to expand...
Simplified answer:
A commonly used reaction called the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is frequently used in several fields of work. An enzyme takes a strand of DNA and makes a copy of it. To do that requires 3 main steps - make your sample (DNA + enzyme + raw materials) hot, cold, then medium in temperature. Each time you repeat the steps, you can double the amount of DNA. So if you had 1 strand, after one cycle you'd have 2, then 4, 8, 16, 32...billions of copies.

Why would you want a DNA amplifier? Suppose you had an unknown off-white powder fall out of your mailbox and all but one tiny grain blew away. Suppose that could be anthrax. Well one tiny bit of dust is too small for any conventional tests to work on. But if you had billions more then you could easily work with it.

Or suppose you are in the doctors office and your doctor thinks you have a virus. Pretend there is only a minute amount of that virus in your bloodstream. The doctor can remove a gallon of blood and then have enough sample to test, or your doctor can remove a small drop and amplify what is in there. Your chioce.

PCR is a bit more complicated than that, but I hope this gives the general drift.

Edit: What is my research? Typical PCR machines take 2-3 hours to operate. If your doctor want to test a sample, it is usually send off to a lab, and you get your answer back in 3-7 days. My goal is to drastically reduce the time required. My machine ran in 13 minutes (although I'm trying to get it down to 5). Thus your doctor could have one in his/her office and you get your results by the time you get home.
Click to expand...

Cool, we have a bonafide piece of medical history among us!

Congratulations, and good luck on the future success of your research!
 
dullard

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
26,099
4,744
126
Until the rest of the patents come in, no pics sorry.

I highly doubt my boss will care that I advertize a bit that we can go fast - thus the NDA won't cover this. Of course if I start emailing the code and if I start sending you designs, then I'll be looking for another degree.

I work for university/private company. Basically a private company has the patents but needed it improved. He came to the university for help. I'm a doctorate student in chemical engineering. And this is my project. The university will get credit for a portable design, but since the patents were already issued, the private company will get the desktop model.

Thanks for your kind words. See you next week.
 
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NikPreviousAcct

No Lifer
Aug 15, 2000
52,763
1
0
Originally posted by: no0b
Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
I can't believe anyone hasn't asked yet...

PICS!!!

nik
Click to expand...

lol sure someone can copy his work.
Click to expand...

Yes, because a picture of the machine will totally reveal how the machine works and how the logic works and the results of 2 years of research.

nik
 
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no0b

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2001
3,804
1
0
Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
Originally posted by: no0b
Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
I can't believe anyone hasn't asked yet...

PICS!!!

nik
Click to expand...

lol sure someone can copy his work.
Click to expand...

Yes, because a picture of the machine will totally reveal how the machine works and how the logic works and the results of 2 years of research.

nik
Click to expand...

no. but it will make it alot easier to reverse engineer it.
 
thebestMAX

thebestMAX

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2000
7,513
136
106
Where are you located if you can say. Chicago?

Use any Beckman Instruments in your research?
 
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