Fredrik T Week 1 (reupload)

This week consisted largely of meeting with people and discussing possible approaches for my project this summer. Primarily I have been discussing the details of a clinical trial conducted by Dr Joseph Osborne et al. and the possible aspects I could develop a project around. For this purpose I attended a meeting with the group of clinicians responsible for the clinical trials and investigation of the J591 anti-PSMA antibody developed by Dr Neil Bander. The antibody is used for purposes of prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. They are interested in developing a novel PET based method for guided biopsy.

I attended a seminar entitled “Fluid Biopsy in Solid Tumors, how HD-CTCs can provide real-time drug response and stratification”, given by Dr Peter Kuhn from Scripps Physics Oncology Center. The seminar revolved around the enumeration and examination of CTCs through a rather brute force approach requiring significant computer and imaging capabilities. Dr Kuhn also talked about a mathematical approach to understanding the metastatic cascade in greater detail. More specifically, they are using a matrix operation (similar to the one employed by Google) to understand the order and importance of metastatic site seeding.

I also trekked to the Harlem DMV to finally get an American ID. A truly interesting experience highlighting the beauty of American bureaucracy; talk to a librarian about printing the needed forms, sign up for a printer account, assign an account name, number and pin code, go to separate machine to input money on the account, go to third machine to print the forms, go to a fourth machine to release the print out to the printer sever, pick up the form at the printer, take the subway to the DMV, wait a line that stretches around the block and up three stories, talk to the officer, wait in another line, get confused about which line is the right one, go to the window and give them your papers, get a stamped paper back and take a number, sit and wait for your number, talk to the lady in another window, listen as she replies mmhmm to all your questions and then finally get a temporary ID, wait for the real ID to mailed to you.