Pulling Science (aka Shite) out of thin air

Its what I love and what I hate about this lab. We’re working on protein X that has been well characterized as a cell marker, but its function remains enigmatic. Which means that I, who must try to provided some insight into function, have NOTHING to base a hypothesis on. Which is great, in that any result is a result but crap in that how does one figure out where to start. Well you start by choosing a system (a cell type) and start with basic questions about protein x, where is it on the cell? is it homogenous? is organized into compartments? Does it colocalize with other proteins? Then you choose a functional assay, how I wish my protein transported ions!! But there are other choices, migration, adhesion, cytokine stimulation assays etc. Choose an assay and then become a biochemist and fack that shite up and see how the results of the functional assay change. There you go, there is my thesis project. Oh how I hope it does not fail.

Which is why I need your help. any ideas on good functional assays? how should I f*ck that protein up?

I know short post, but what can I say, I am a woman of few words.

PS i realize I am not keeping up my promise to be a thoughtful, coherent, well written blog. My bad but really I have like 10 minutes to post.