LabRat’s Workbench

Today has turned out to be a rather great day.  I’m posting now from the new lab that I’ve been transferred to (still on UT’s campus of course).  I get to work in a shiny, new lab building on research that is more in-line with what I’d like to do one day:  cure Type 1 Diabetes of course!  That’s right!  I’m in a lab where one of the main focuses is to find ways to infuse beta-cells into type 1 diabetics and to find ways to solve the problems associated with doing so, such as graft rejection, blood supply problems, and of course the autoimmune destruction that causes T1DM in the first place.  My previous lab focused on inflammation and developing anti-tumor drugs, which is fascinating research, but I’m afraid it was never the kind of research that I really wanted to work on.
Of course, since it’s just day one, I haven’t yet started on actual experiments.  Most of today has involved setting up my new desk and reading some of Dr. Mahato’s (the professor in charge of my lab) and other graduate students’ past work, so I can be familiarized with some of the work that they’ve already done.  Speaking of which, I should probably get back to that.  Just figured it’d be worth posting to my shiny, new blog.  I am one happy LabRat today!

Welcome to my blog!  My name is Brandon, also known as LabRat on YoungDiabetics.org. I am a 25-year old type 1 diabetic and am currently in my 2nd year of pharmacy student at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN.  I work in a drug design laboratory at the school (hence the online handle), and am one of the chairs of the Operation: Diabetes committee for the UT chapter of Academy of Student Pharmacists (the student division of the American Pharmacists Association).
Admittedly I’ve never tried to maintain my own blog, so this will certainly be a learning experience for me.  I’m hoping to post information that will be useful to diabetics, particularly information about prescription, herbals, and OTC medications, as well as other advice (and probably random thoughts every once in a while as well).  Please note that all information posted which I post is true to the best of my knowledge and is based on what I’ve learned at pharmacy school.  However, my posts are intended for informational purposes ONLY, and the information I provide is *NOT* intended as a substitute for the advice given by a fully licensed pharmacist or physician.  I *DO NOT* recommend nor condone altering your medication therapy without first speaking to a health care professional.

That said, I hope you find my blog informative and a bit entertaining.  I will be posting as often as school and work permit.