Annie Voight is a PhD student in the Schmitz Lab at Charité Berlin where she uses optogenetics to study synapses and neuronal circuits. We sat down with Annie to find out how LabTwin helps her uncover the role of individual neurons in health and disease.
It’s always so easy to forget to write things down in the busy lab environment. I’ve misplaced or even forgotten important information more than once. I thought that having a virtual assistant to help me take notes would be a great relief.
I took notes however I could during experiments – including handwritten notes in lab journals or notebooks, documents on the computer, phone memos, and the back of my glove.
Absolutely. It was a breeze to adjust to using LabTwin instead of paper notes.
Direct online transfer of my notes – I can check them from anywhere: lab bench, home office, train office, café office… you get my point.
Specifically, one episode comes to mind. I wrote down all my antibody stainings for various samples (125 brain slices, over 10 different antibody variations) and gave the list to a colleague. The colleague never returned my note, and after coming back from vacation, I had forgotten which antibody I had used for which sample. Thankfully, LabTwin has a photo option, and I found a picture of the list online nestled within my LabTwin notes!
Molecular biology work. Specifically where you have to use gloves and so can’t be taking notes during experiments.
A literature reader counter, that will tell me I’ve been on a reading streak (like in Duolingo).
I think voice-powered assistance will make the labs more connected and interoperable. It has the potential to make the lab of the future possible faster.