Kurt Kolsun
Lab affiliation: Dr. Michael Becker
Degree(s) you hold: BSc Microbiology
Degree being sought (M.Sc./Ph.D.): MSc
Hometown (City, Country—list multiple if you have them!): Winnipeg, MB
Your research project in one sentence: Application of RNA Jackhammering to aid in the sequencing of highly degraded HIV samples.
A picture of you:
Lab affiliation: Dr. Michael Becker
Degree(s) you hold: BSc Microbiology
Degree being sought (M.Sc./Ph.D.): MSc
Hometown (City, Country—list multiple if you have them!): Winnipeg, MB
Your research project in one sentence: Application of RNA Jackhammering to aid in the sequencing of highly degraded HIV samples.
A picture of you:
What do you do to relax when you have a lazy day at home?
I enjoy playing video games, listening to some music, finding new recipes in my cookbooks, or playing some board games with anyone in my family who is willing to play Monopoly or Risk!
What are you most excited about for 2022? Goals?
I am excited to be joining a fantastic lab and learning more about rapid testing technology with respect to COVID-19. I am also excited about furthering my knowledge and skills with respect to molecular biology techniques, while continuing to build on my own computational skills and background. One goal would be to publish my manuscript on DNA methylation and food sensitization based on the work I did during my time as an undergraduate student.
What techniques do you/will you most often use in your project?
Molecular biology techniques (DNA extraction, RT-PCR, Nested PCR, and DNA sequencing) and data analysis using computational methods such as the computer programming language R.
What's one silly mistake you've made in the lab?
Early on in the lab, while getting familiarized with one of the rapid testing devices in the lab, the technician told us to run positive and negative control samples for COVID-19 on the machine. After inputting the samples, the negative control came back negative, but the positive control came back as an invalid result. They then asked me why it didn’t work, and I couldn’t give them a reason as to why. It was because the machine had been set up to validate the positive control of a different virus (RSV) instead of COVID-19! After this humbling moment, I made sure to double check the device settings before running a test on the machine in the future.
What are any current problems you are having with your research?
My previous project based on a rapid testing device for COVID-19 that utilized digital holographic microscopy and artificial intelligence did not end up working as expected. I am currently pivoting to a new project and learning new techniques related to RNA jackhammering.
What did you hope to get out of grad school in the beginning compared to now? Or (if you’ve just begun) what are you looking forward to?
I just started this past September, but I am looking forward to learning about new lab techniques, whether they may be wet lab or dry lab specific. I am also looking forward to collaborating and making professional connections with the people at the JC Wilt Infectious Diseases Research Centre.
I enjoy playing video games, listening to some music, finding new recipes in my cookbooks, or playing some board games with anyone in my family who is willing to play Monopoly or Risk!
What are you most excited about for 2022? Goals?
I am excited to be joining a fantastic lab and learning more about rapid testing technology with respect to COVID-19. I am also excited about furthering my knowledge and skills with respect to molecular biology techniques, while continuing to build on my own computational skills and background. One goal would be to publish my manuscript on DNA methylation and food sensitization based on the work I did during my time as an undergraduate student.
What techniques do you/will you most often use in your project?
Molecular biology techniques (DNA extraction, RT-PCR, Nested PCR, and DNA sequencing) and data analysis using computational methods such as the computer programming language R.
What's one silly mistake you've made in the lab?
Early on in the lab, while getting familiarized with one of the rapid testing devices in the lab, the technician told us to run positive and negative control samples for COVID-19 on the machine. After inputting the samples, the negative control came back negative, but the positive control came back as an invalid result. They then asked me why it didn’t work, and I couldn’t give them a reason as to why. It was because the machine had been set up to validate the positive control of a different virus (RSV) instead of COVID-19! After this humbling moment, I made sure to double check the device settings before running a test on the machine in the future.
What are any current problems you are having with your research?
My previous project based on a rapid testing device for COVID-19 that utilized digital holographic microscopy and artificial intelligence did not end up working as expected. I am currently pivoting to a new project and learning new techniques related to RNA jackhammering.
What did you hope to get out of grad school in the beginning compared to now? Or (if you’ve just begun) what are you looking forward to?
I just started this past September, but I am looking forward to learning about new lab techniques, whether they may be wet lab or dry lab specific. I am also looking forward to collaborating and making professional connections with the people at the JC Wilt Infectious Diseases Research Centre.