So. for the last 4 years I have worked on my PhD. The whole idea was that VZV or Varicella Zoster Virus (chicken pox / human herpes virus 3) blocks our immune system. The immune system works in different layers, I deal with the primary response, or the innate immune response. The innate immune response uses many 'cytokines' (natural antivirals/antibacterials i guess) to stimulate a change in the cells natural process. This stops the cell growth, and therefore stops the growth of the virus etc.
It's known VZV blocks interferon, the main cytokine of innate immunity.
My role was to identify the mechanism, and hopefully find the specific gene(s) that cause it.

I used a screening system to identify sections of the VZV genome that triggered this block. I then used a crapload of methods to identify what gene it was. I found it, so I think, and I analysed how. gradually accumulating data till it looks conclusive.

Over the weekend a dud from the US National INstitute of Health (govt funded lab, lots of money etc) published that VZV ORF63 (immediate early gene 63) blocks interferon alpha ?(a type of interferon). It's a crap paper, and he doesn't know how... only speculates from some very loosely accumulated publications. The guy that published just happens to be a guy that I asked for the VZVORF63 mutant virus he had, since it inhibited interferon. He said he'd give it to me. In the end I never got it, since I probably wouldn't have time to use it.. He never entioned then he was investigating a similar thing at the time, if he was then. He seems to have put this publication in rather fast.

Anyway, that is science for you. watch your backs. you will get screwed over.
* I don't know if he looked at orf 63 because of me, or if he was already looking at it. It's impossible to prove. I think it would have been anice courtesy for him to tell me he was lookig at it though.
At least my paper will be more conclusive, and hopefully have a proper mechanism (when I publish it), even though it won't make as good a journal now.

WOW - I haven't ranted on my blog in a while.

- merlo coffee warehouse - james st fortitude valley (take away only, you can only have a sit down coffee if buying beans).* [merlo]

- Denim, Southbank [lavazza]

- urban grind, west end- three monkeys, west end (depending on staff member) [vittoria]

- dolci saporro, sandgate rd clayfield [di bella]

- bay swiss, queens plaza, brisbane city

- cibo, chermside (most staff members) [their own blend]

- cafe xs, chermside (some staff) [di bella]- west end coffee house, west end [di bella]


* there are a lot of places that sell merlo coffee, some are horrible, others awesome. Try the different blends from the factory outlet and see.

Anywhere else you love to get your coffee from? There are others I can't think of atm...

occasionally god smiles one us all - twin rainbows -

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now that season1 is over (us) ... what am i going to do as my weekly procrastination.

so, the manager at Dick Smith city store asked me to bring in some media etc to display on the laptops. Keep it interesting, without using the generic MS stuff.
So I brought in a demo, the trailer for the new Harry Potter OotP game and a parkour VCD.
The VCD I took in was of "Jump Britain", a funky doco about parkour in britain, on some monumental buildings etc. The usual crew. Anyway, it attracted a lot of attention. Several people staying and watching large chunks of it.
Towards the arvo (sat) I was wondering why it wasn't playing.... Some PUNKS had STOLEN it.
they seriously stole my burnt VCD from the drive of a laptop on display.

So... if anyone is considering buying an XBOX 360 in the near future... let me know first.
My XBOX 360 from MicroSoft should arrive this week. :)

more tutoring on straddy. Labwork is crappy, over the PhD. Not long now though.
I dig this song.

An amazing short vid that summarises decades of science. Animated view of life inside the cell. I've seen it before, bu thought I'd share.