[-Saturday, January 31, 2009-]

Tis is wad i called Job Satisfaction

Dear Chun Kiat,

Your progress over January, your first month as our colleague, has been very good. I am pleased to note that you have settled in well (and ****** has helped you in that sense, as you helped him when he went to Dr ****'s lab), and have helped with the service work, doing your fair share of the NAT screening. That is a very sensitive test, and highly susceptible to the slightest of changes in reagent quality and endogenous/exogenous inhibitors, as you have found out through trial and error. We expected a few blips (and repeats) but overall, you have adapted to service work very well. In addition, partly due to **'s misfortune in losing his grandmother last week, you have also helped out (almost seamlessly) with the norovirus diagnostic work, and have picked up a couple of positive cases.

I will be very interested in hearing about the work you are doing on the HAdV and hope that with ******'s guidance, you will be able to work out and optimise conditions for a real-time PCR assay, and clinically validate it for diagnostic use (and perhaps even publish a small manuscript on your findings). Please do keep me informed about your daily work, and wherever possible, I will give my feedback.

I have not forgotten about your expressed wish to register for an M.Sc. -- for that, you will be working closely with Dr ****, as agreed prior to your joining us. Have you started on that project already, or do you want me to ask him for an update? I will support you, in spirit and in all other aspects, including giving you some time off to go to his lab to do certain critical experiments.

Thank you for your efforts and excellent attitude in your first month with us. I look forward to working with you for many more years. Hope you had some meaningful reunion with your family during the CNY break. Happy Niu Year,
"Never ask why i love you, just accept that i do." || 8:58 PM