Seminar- Stem cell derived lung organoid

We started the day by meeting up in the lab to do a cardiac analysis of  our embryos that we had previously treated with the compounds we brought back from Taichung. There is one chemical we use that is supposed to induce the hair failure in the embryos, and that chemical is combined with the rest of the compounds we were testing. When looking in the wells that should contain embryos of fish that have heart failure, we seen perfectly healthy fish, so that means we needed to allow the fish sit for another day before completing the analysis. The other group in the lab saw that their last fractions they were testing had caused all the embryos to die, and so when we checked the last 3 of our total fractions, fractions 8 through 10 contained wells full of dead embryos. Once we finished looking at what we could for the day we went to the bank, and then traveled to National Taiwan University to meet up with Dr. Lee who would bring us to the seminar on the stem cell derived lung organoid. 

Here is some decorations that were in the bank, as everyone is beginning to prepare for the Chinese New Years celebration that will commence on Saturday, January 25th. 

On our way to the National Taiwan University we stopped at a 7 eleven to grab some snacks, and I grabbed some Hi Chews. They have these back in the states, but we don't have the same flavors, and I wanted to try them all. 

We finally stopped for food before going to the University, and we all had hot and spicy beef noddle. It was amazing and did the trick for clearing my sinuses. 

First thing we seen when walking onto the campus

When we met Dr. Lee he took us around the inside of the lab, showing us different microscopes, and machines the students use in the university. They had a lot more advance machines then we have back at River Falls, and it almost made it seem like we didn't even have any equipment at all. We also got to see the fish room where they house the zebra fish, and before we could go inside we had to remove our shoes, which was slightly confusing to me. 

Zebra fish that they had in their lab

We finally went to the Seminar where we listen to Dr. Ya-Wen Chen speak on the Generation of a three-dimensional lung organoid from human pluripotent stem cells and its approach. The main goal of the experiments conducted by Dr. Chen is to find a way to make it so there is a better percentage of lungs being transplanted into individuals who have a lung disease. A lot of people donate organs, but there is a lot of regulations and restrictions on what is an acceptable lung, and a lot of longs are denied after transport to the person who needs it. So this study is working on how they can help decrease that, as well as see if they have the potential to use stem cells that could regenerate the destroyed lungs of that sick person, and then be replaced back into that person without needing an entire transplant at all. 

We were given snacks to have during the seminar and they were the best things I have ever tasted. 

We finished the night off with two amazing master students at the National Taiwan University. Their names were Lewis and Wayne. They were very sweet and took us to the Shilin night market where we enjoyed a great amount of foods and then did a little shopping. I will miss all the students we have met since beginning this trip.