And then there was molecular data...

Our molecular lab is finally set up, tested, and getting kicked into high gear! We had our first successful extractions and PCRs about two weeks ago and are about ready to launch into a fast and furious phase of data generation. Right now we're running a screen of 7 genes through a test set of 13 hydrophiloid taxa before settling on a final gene set for our next set of projects. Now we're doing "real" science (kidding!)

Expanded capability!

We are in the process of setting up a small-scale molecular lab out here in the entomology division (extraction thru PCR cleanup). The first of a steady stream of boxes of equipment and supplies arrived outside my office this morning (containing a $2000 centrifuge, two sets of pipettes, and a vortexer). Hopefully we'll be doing our test runs by the end of January.