week 1-Joyce

Although I have done research in Weill Cornell Medical College for my PhD thesis for one year, I am still very excited with summer immersion program in which I will take a good look at the clinical field of gastroenterology which is tightly related to my research direction but has not been touched before.
After the “good to go” orientation meeting in this Monday morning, I tried to contact Dr. Milsom as we schedule before, but was told he was too busy to “take care of” me and I was forwarded to Dr. Sang Lee. Since Dr. Lee’s colorectal cancer surgery schedule is on Monday (I already missed it) and Thursday, I took the plenty of time to talk to my mentor Dr. Steven Lipkin on my summer research topic. I picked the most interesting one that I will pick the fresh tumor samples immediately after the operation and primary culture the cancer cells for gene profiling and pharmaceutical screening. Cancer is heterogeneous and it has been well recognized that the conventional lines from single cell cloning could not retain and characterize the clinical real cancer cells. Also during decades of in vitro culture, they gained numerous “passenger” mutations which falsely represent the original cancer cell gene profiling. Therefore I think this project is meaningful in developing the clinical samples as better research subjects and tools.
On Monday and Tuesday, I ordered some reagents for the research projects, like culture medium and collagenase and read some literature to prepare for the primary culture. There was a case on Monday – colon cancer tissue processed in pathology department, but I was told that the tissues are too small to given to me. Until Wednesday noon, I got the chance to touch the human colon cancer tissues. I am was luck that this case is colon cancer metastasizing to liver and I got the both precious liver tumor and primary colon tumor which are very useful for study of primary and metastatic “driver” gene mutation. I never forget it was the first time I observed and touched the human cancer tissues, the cancer region is so huge as well as the surrounding colon tissues, and the liver tumor spots were so clear to see. The tumors of both sites were saved in stem cell medium and were primary cultured by enzyme digestion. I also implant the rest tumor tissues subcutaneously in SCID mice to amplify tumor cells for future research.
Thursday is supposed to be Dr. Lee’s another surgeon day, but I was told some paperwork needs done before entering the OR. Hopefully I may get the chance to watch the essential clinical procedures--- The traditional colorectal cancer surgeon and MINT (minimal invasive) surgeon by next week and I can not wait for that!