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Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (PMAC) is a world-leading cancer centre. PMAC is the largest and only public hospital dedicated to cancer patients in Australia. PMAC prides itself on providing excellent care and treatment to their patients. Additionally, cancer research and education are also prioritised.

PMAC is a member institution of the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) alliance. The VCCC alliance is Australia's first and only partnership of 10 prominent institutions, such as University of Melbourne and The Royal Melbourne Hospital. The VCCC alliance focuses on patient care and the integration of cancer treatment, education and research.

I work at the Advanced Center for Cancer Cell Isolation and Flow Cytometry at PMAC. I work with sorters and analysers, ensuring they are running smoothly, and troubleshooting wherever possible. I also have the chance to analyse research samples that researchers no longer use (e.g., human, mouse). I am also assigned a project - determining purity of 4 different sorting methods.

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Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre is a leading integrated cancer research, treatment and education centre globally.

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"Communication improves the value you bring to your company and your own personal brand".

This was especially important, given that PMAC is my first professional setting. I am a shy, reserved person so I felt this course will be very helpful. Planning questions ahead, being aware of mental filters, and being an empathetic listener, are some of the strategies provided for effective communication.

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"Python vs. R for Data Science" course ✅

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"Python vs. R for Data Science" course ✅

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Python and R are great programming languages for data science. This course gave me deeper insight into the key similarities and differences in data visualisation and data analysis between the two languages.

Python is better suited to beginners, with a syntax that is easier to read. It also allows for greater customisation of its models into other software.

In contrast, R's syntax requires users to undergo a steeper learning curve. R's models are more rigid in structure, and are more suited for statistical analysis.

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'How to' guide - Quality Checks for Flow Cytometry Analysers 🖥

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'How to' guide - Quality Checks for Flow Cytometry Analysers 🖥

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Click on the attached file or check out this link if you're interested in what I do every morning at the Flow Cytometry Lab @ PMAC: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fng5RqeSk7XHGJvnWAmIBQPf6iW4zPjk/view?usp=drive_link

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Quality Check of Flow Cytometry Analysers

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Click on the attached PDF file for a glimpse of the work that I do at the Flow Cytometry Lab @ PMAC 😇

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During my first two weeks of placement, I honed my technical skills on the analysers. I did not have much practice on the sorters.

During my third week of placement, my supervisor got me started on sorters. My supervisor secured cells that researchers no longer need, for my own practice.

This week, I practiced on samples of mouse and human cell line origin. Both samples had different fluorophores and dyes attached.

Attached are the results I attained for an unstained sample against 4 flow cytometry sorter masks; (i) purity, (ii) yield, (iii) P16Y16, and (iv) single-cell.

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Test-tubes of training beads I used for my practice experimental sessions during my first month of internship.

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I came into this internship with an "advantage". I had prior laboratory and flow cytometry knowledge. Thanks to the IMM units, I was not foreign to what flow cytometry was, and what data I would be expecting to see. I felt relieved yet nervous at the same time. I have not performed flow cytometry since Semester 2, 2022 (exactly a year ago). I revisited my laboratory manuals and my practical reports in hopes of jogging my memory.

My feelings of anxiety persisted. A colleague mentioned that she had higher expectations and standards on me. She was a Monash University graduate, who also took the same Immunology units as me. Performing quality control checks, operating the instruments, performing the induction training procedure on a flow cytometric analyser - I should be able to grasp this faster than a regular person with no scientific knowledge. It made me write more robust notes as I sat and watched many videos on flow cytometry. I concentrated and paid attention to every detail, during training sessions.

Once my nervousness and anxiety subsided, I was feeling relieved and thankful. Throughout the past 2 weeks of my placement at PMAC, everyone whom I have met, have been warm, kind and friendly. They have always helped me every step of the way, made my placement hours flexible, encouraged me to attend seminars, and given me opportunities to chat with researchers about their research projects. This strengthened my relationship with my supervisor & colleagues, and made me look forward to each day at PMAC.

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Laboratory + Flow Cytometry Instruments 📸

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Laboratory + Flow Cytometry Instruments 📸

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Click on the attached PDF file to see my workplace for the next couple of months 🙌🏻

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Laboratory + Flow Cytometry Instruments 📸