Hello lovely readers (?),
I’ve been
in Leiden for about a week now, so I think it’s about time to report my
activities for the past few days.
So, this
week was the first week of my internship at the Leiden University College. I
went into it not really knowing what to expect, as the building I was
instructed to go to wasn’t the actual college building. Turns out it’s a small
corridor with a couple labs for biology, bioinformatics, and chemistry (I think).
If I’m being honest, my workspace was just as disappointingly normal as I
should have expected, but I cannot get the romanticized over-the-top crazy scientist
laboratory image out of my head when I think of labs of any kind. In reality
though, they’re usually a set of tables with machinery on top of them, nothing
too special (except the ‘streets’ used for clinical chemistry, those are
actually pretty cool). The bioinformatics workspace wasn’t some kind of shady
room filled with computers, and people wearing leather coats and sunglasses,
typing away on three keyboards at once while surrounded by half a dozen
monitors. Instead I was lead into an ordinary office room. Much to my delight
however, someone actually was working with two monitors (one turned
vertically, one horizontally), and his own personal laptop. No clichéd hacker
outfit, unfortunately.
There are
two other interns in the bioinformatics room, both from the Netherlands, and
there’s a number of analysts. Usually one or two, but we are sometimes joined
by lectors of the college. I haven’t asked what they are working on, so I
don’t know why they’re there. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming, so I
felt right at home. Naturally though, my supervisor (a very laidback, fun guy)
has been cracking jokes about Belgians just about every single day so far. They’re
good jokes though, so I couldn’t help but laugh along.
I haven’t done
a whole lot just yet. I’m supposed to build a tool in R shiny that will
pre-format input data which can then be used as input for AViDA, a tool for differential
expression analysis. AViDA has such a function already, but the idea is to
separate that part from the program so AViDA can run faster and more
efficiently. Also, by building a separate tool for data conversion, the tool
can be more extensive than it is now. Basically, the user will input a set of
data files, and will get an output file in return, which can then be used as
input for AViDA.
For now
though, I’m reading up on AViDA, R Shiny and differential expression analysis
to prepare myself. I first need to fully understand what the process is, and what
I need to implement into my tool. I’m currently slogging through a
mock-analysis for that very purpose. By my estimations I should be done with
that Monday evening, so I will be able to start mucking about with code on Tuesday.
On a less work-related
note, I’ve bought myself a subscription at a local swimming pool. I originally
planned to go jogging, but I like to jog through more rural, less bustling
areas, like parks or forests, or something like that. I haven’t found anything
of the sort yet, though, but I do like swimming a whole lot more than I do
jogging, so I figure I won’t be jogging here. That said, I think I was a bit
overzealous during my first visit to the pool. My right knee hurts when I bend
it, which probably isn’t a good thing. Still, I don’t intend to let it stop me.
I paid for that subscription, and I WILL NOT waste that money.
Apparently,
this weekend was the King’s birthday, so all of Leiden (and the rest of the
Netherlands, I imagine) was celebrating. The actual holiday was on Saturday,
and there were a lot of activities to partake in all around the city. The
evening before, there were stages everywhere, with artists performing. There
were food stalls, mobile bars, DJs, and a whole lot of people everywhere.
Basically, all of Leiden had been transformed into one massive party. I joined
the festivities for a couple hours, but I don’t really like to go partying on my
own, so I didn’t stay that long. I tried, but it just made me painfully aware
my friends were not around. I bet that if they’d been there with me, we’d have
had a load of fun that night. In fact, if there was one person I knew to go
with, I’d have been more at ease. Sadly, none of the other interns live in
Leiden, and I don’t have a roommate yet, so…
Lastly, I
really miss my electric razor. As always when shaving manually, I managed to
cut myself in the usual places above my mouth. I don’t know if it’s because of
the razor, or because I’m not dexterous enough. Who knows.
Anyways, I
will end this here for now.
Until next
post,
Tibbert
