Victor, Entry #5: Farewells and the Laser Capture Dissection Microscope

Hi everyone,

Friday was my last day in Baltimore working for the Goggins lab that focuses on researching early detection of pancreatic cancer. My last week at the Goggins lab was particularly interesting. This week my lab gave me the opportunity to experience more then preforming experiments and really familiarize myself with what goes on in the hospital. In addition to being able to observe a Whipple procedure like I talked about in my previous post, I was able to shadow my PI in the hospital and observe him there. I was able to observe him preforming colonoscopies and was also able to watch other another physician preform an ERCP or an endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography. In an ERCP an endoscope is placed through the mouth and into the duodenum. Once into the duodenum, a cannula or small plastic tube is inserted in a small opening within the duodenum. Then, contrast material is injected into the tube and x-rays indicate where the contrast goes. This test is most commonly used to diagnose conditions within the pancreas and bile ducts. X-rays can easily recognize stricture within the pancreatic ducts so this is a very useful procedure. Unfortunately, pancreatitis can develop in the patient because of irritation due to the contrast material, but it is a risk that the physicians and the patient both consider before the procedure.

In addition to observing certain procedures, I have also been given access to the laser capture dissection microscope. A laser dissection microscope uses a laser to cut and isolate desired tissues. The lab wanted to isolate PanIN tissue for certain experiments and in order to do that I needed to use the laser capture dissection microscope. PanINs are the most common precancerous lesions within the pancreas. The Goggin's lab is very interested in investigating PanINs because they could play a vital role in future early detection methods and because currently there is no way to detect PanIN lesions in patients.

The microscope cutting and isolating a
pancreatic duct. The laser is the blue light.

Laser Capture Dissection Microscope

Overall I had a great experience researching at Johns Hopkins. I learned how to preform many different experiments and procedures like DNA isolation and Western blots, but most importantly I got to meet many different extraordinarily smart people. I got to make many friends and experience living on my own. I would like to thank everyone that made this experience possible include my PI Dr. Goggins, my graduate student mentor Andro, and of course I would like to thank Dr. Peretz and Dr. Crider. See you in September!