Science/Dance: NCI site visit, Halloween Party

This week at my work site, we had a site visit by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) program directors. The Center for Cancer Prevention and Drug Development at the OU Health Sciences Center, together with the Stephenson Cancer Center and the College of Public Health, carry out many studies for the NCI's contract programs. And the NCI program directors were visiting us to know or ensure we have the right environment and capability to complete the studies.


Certainly, the US government does not want to spend tax money on a wrong investment. Contrary to propaganda statements by Naysayer-right wing populists, the US government is doing meticulous job on medical science research, as far as I know, with systematic third party review processes for the grant and contract programs and with occasional site visits such as this visit.


Contemporary science has gotten bigger. A lab doing everything inside the lab belongs to the past. We need right and interactive environment to get the job done. In fact, we work with many core facilities and other laboratories and PIs (Principal Investigators). They include Bioinformatics core facility, imaging core, chemical synthesis, HPLC analysis, animal facility and support staff, histopathology core, etc. We were showing the Directors that they are real and capable facilities, not made-up on-paper-only entities.


The change in scientific research is a reason that a student needs proper training to get into the contemporary scientific research industry, even in academic settings. We need to think bigger and have skills to coordinate everything needed to get the research done as a PI. Don't be naive. 



Yesterday (10/29/2016), we had a Halloween Party at the OKC swing dance club.

[10/29/2016 Halloween Party]

Perhaps I should put a disclaimer here just in case? My opinions expressed in this blog do not represent those of my workplace organization's.

Dance: George and Jairelbhi Furlong Tango workshops in OKC (10/23/2016)

George and Jairelbhi Furlong are professional Argentine Tango instructors based in Dallas. Martha and David Wells invited them to have workshops on 10/23/2016 weekend in OKC. Together with Friday and Saturday milonga, the weekend was a Tango weekend.


In addition to the workshops on Sunday, I booked a private lesson slot and had an interview with George on how they work on Stage Tango. They are one of few professional dancers who actively perform Argentine Tango on stage, as well as directing their performance group for stage tango performance. They have unique and advanced knowledge on Stage Argentine Tango as specialists.


It is a pleasure to work with good professionals, because they know their stuff. 

I asked about 15-18 questions, depending on how you count, on performing Stage Tango. For example, "how do you define the difference between Stage Tango and Social Tango?" 

His answers were well-articulated and clear-cut, which is only possible by people with deep experience and thoughts on the subject. 

At the same time, I was under impression that "smart people think alike". I have previous interview results from other instructors and dance professionals on Stage dance. What they said have a lot in common.


Previously I read a book titled "How rich people think" by Steve Siebold. The book was about ideas and beliefs rich people have in common about money and moneymaking. The author extracted the ideas and beliefs from interviews with many rich and successful people.

I was assuming that by interviewing many Stage dancers, a common view and work ethics would emerge. They have.


Thanks to the shared answers, I am confident that the concept and contents of this new book project on Stage Tango are on target. I am very happy about it. 


Now, I got to work on the writing.


Big thank you for George and Jairelbhi.

[10/23/2016 Workshops for Sacada, Colgada, etc]

[Science] 
Today (10/24) we had a meeting with researchers working on public health and health disparity issues. We are attempting to launch an inter/intra-programmatic project that aims at (eventually) improving public health. The project might become a shortcut and a bridge between our lab research and their public health aspects. I am looking forward to further develop this project.

Dance: Friday milonga (10/14/16) and Tulsa Fall Fling, a WCS event (10/15/16): plus, why do you dance?

I went to a milonga on Friday. There came a friend of mine, who was taking a hiatus from dancing for a while. It was nice to see him. We went for a drink afterwards, and had a good time.


On Saturday, I drank water like a fish and took shower twice to shake off the hangover, then went to Tulsa to attend a WCS event/party (Tulsa Fall Fling). The event has been a nice, cozy, not too big, not too small event for some years now.

[Friday milonga 10/14/2016]

The hiatus of my friend led me to think;

There are many ways to get involved in dancing. For example: You dance as a dancer. You compete in events as a dancer. You teach dancing. You demonstrate dancing to get attention, or for a show, which may help "evangelizing" dancing. You run events. You volunteer in or help events. You write about dancing. You support dance place. You like particular kind of songs and a dance for them. You like dancers. You cheer dancers. You make friends and socialize. etc. etc.

I have been involved in dancing for quite a while. I have gotten involved in all activities listed above. But, occasionally, I review my reason to dance.

"Why am I doing it?"

In this entry, I choose to keep my reasons private. But I suggest you to ask the same question to yourself.

"Why do you dance (or get involved in dancing)?"

Reasons are important. If you dance on stage, for example, you'll need stronger reason(s). Your reason may help you overcome stage butterflies and jitters.

There are some "stronger" dancers who shine on dance floor. I'd assume they have stronger reasons as well. Maybe I should start asking, instead of assuming.

Life: Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence) by Hideaki Anno (movie)

Today we sent off two grants to the grant office. In the evening, a Tango choreo class was cancelled.

So I went to watch a movie, "Shin Godzilla (Godzilla Resurgence)". 

The movie is open for a few days in Oklahoma City this week (limited running in the US). It was the biggest box office hit in Japan in 2016 Summer, and was heavily hyped and talked movie.


[I'll be careful, but there may be some spoilers. You are alerted.] 


US trailer (YouTube link)


Everyone in or from Japan knows the basic story of Godzilla movies. It's somewhat like most Americans know the basic story of Star Wars.

Likewise, there was a monster anime hit "Evangelion" in the 90's in Japan, directed by Hideaki Anno. "Eva" is known to many Japanese as a cultural reference. (The reboot theatrical Evangelion movies are still on going).


Then there came the Godzilla movie in 2016, directed by Hideaki Anno. It got attention.

That was what I was guessing as the reason for the hype.


The movie was more than that. The Japanese were talking about the movie, because it was oh-so-very Japanese.

Think some of Miyazaki/Ghibli movies, like Princess Mononoke or Spirited away. They are very Japanese, and very different from Hollywood movies, right?

What made me think "it's Japanese" was the social references, or reminders, of recent Japan, especially the 2011 disasters; Earthquake, Tsunami, Fukushima nuclear plant accident, people's evacuation, radiation map, recovery efforts, and associated Governmental and bureaucratic hush as well as heroic acts.

The Godzilla disaster immediately reminded the Japanese of these real-life disasters, both natural and man-made. In fact, a most common response was "realistic".


Presentation-wise, this Gozdilla had imprints of the director Hideaki Anno everywhere. There were many scenes I thought to be from Evangelion. 

Throwing in the concept of Japan being an US underling, or the complex position of Self Defense Force in the country, or political calculation, or nameless bureaucrats and soldiers working tirelessly to get their job done in an emergency even if it's life-threatening, all at the same time, could be seen as the director Anno's another signature of information overload. In other words, there are many angles you can talk about, depending on what you focus. For example, I am a biologist. I can even wonder the biology of Godzilla, if I want to.


Sure, it was a very well-made sci-fi movie. I was fully entertained. The idea of evolving and metamorphosing Godzilla was clever, and amped up Atomic breadth scenes were spectacular. Even the cheesy factors, such as the "they'll be back" ending and music from previous Godzilla and Evangelion movies (they sounded somewhat dated to me), were enjoyable as references.


Well, it was certainly a very different Godzilla movie compared with two Hollywood Godzillas (1998, 2014). Since it was a very Japanese movie, I understand why it was very talked about in Japan. 

The movie will be appreciated by Americans who can enjoy difference. You might feel too busy in reading subtitles, though. But now you know that information overload is a signature effect by the director. It's a part of the package.

Go watch it. It's fun.

[2 minutes before on, with a cup of ice cream]

Science: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2016

This morning (10/3/2016), I found a news article about Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine for this year (2016).

Link to the MSN article.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/japans-ohsumi-wins-nobel-for-studies-of-cell-self-eating/ar-BBwVBZj?li=BBnbcA1


Here is another link to CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/03/health/nobel-prize-2016-physiology-medicine-yoshinori-ohsumi/

The prize went to. Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi. His research was involved in autophagy, a process of recycling cellular components. Thanks to the autophagy mechanism, we can survive up to a month just by water. Research on the process has been getting popular in cancer research meeting, as well as neurodegenerative disease research field. 

In short, autophagy is a basic mechanism encompassing many biological processes. But the involvements in diseases came to research focus in broader fields relatively recently.


Dr. Ohsumi made a series of discoveries on autophagy using yeast model system. I also used to use yeast model system.  In my student days I saw his (or his lab's) presentations in yeast meetings. Too bad I didn't really "get it". I didn't think autophagy was sexy or exciting. I guess I was wrong about the potential (saying without a sense of guilt, though).


As a part of small games I play to entertain myself, I was predicting that this year's Prize would go to Immunology, possibly researchers involved in PD1 and/or immunotherapy. I was wrong about that, too (also saying without a sense of guilt).


Come to think of it, this is 3 years in a raw when a Japanese researcher wins the Nobel Prize. That is great achievement.

To win Nobel prize, you have to do discovery- or pioneer-type work, and also have to keep leading the research field for a while (usually 20+ years). Whether the research would have broader impact or not is beyond your control. But if it has, after winning some other international awards, you may (have a chance to) win the prize. 

You need good work plus staying power. It certainly is not easy.


Congratulations, Dr. Ohsumi.