Biocomicals

Different type of models

2012-03-09T00:03:00.000-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Thanks to Tim Natividad for his cartoon idea!

Happy International Women's Day!

2012-03-08T00:05:00.000-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Strings of our being

2012-03-06T01:40:00.001-05:00

Finalists of the third caption contest

2012-03-04T23:01:00.000-05:00

Here are the top three finalists and their caption suggestions.

For the next two weeks voting will take a place, voting will end on Sunday, March 18, 2012.
Top of this page, you will see names of the finalists, locations and their captions.
You can vote from there.

"I swear, we only transferred one sample!"
Courtney Schmidt
Warwick, RI, USA

"Oh My Gilson! Who brought that multi-channel bully to the lab?"
Nektaria Petronikolou
Athens, Greece

"What do you mean "polygamy is reinstated"?"
Eylem Ekici
Columbus, OH, USA

Baldness gene will be sequenced

2012-03-03T09:37:00.001-05:00

Time bomb gene

2012-03-02T09:36:00.003-05:00

Immortal fart(s)

2012-03-01T02:47:00.000-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

It is not margarine!

2012-02-29T00:55:00.002-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

I love "Westerns".

2012-02-27T08:04:00.001-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Info for non-science readers:

The western blot is a widely used analytical technique used to detect specific proteins in the given sample of tissue homogenate or extract. It uses gel electrophoresis to separate native proteins by 3-D structure or denatured proteins by the length of the polypeptide. The proteins are then transferred to a membrane, where they are detected using antibodies specific to the target protein [Wikipedia].

Rebellion!

2012-02-25T01:36:00.000-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Thanks to Dr. Ece Gamsiz and Kathryn Coser for the cartoon idea!

Spin like crazy

2012-02-22T01:40:00.001-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Genetics vs Computer Science

2012-02-21T02:04:00.001-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Third caption contest is starting!

2012-02-19T08:43:00.001-05:00

Hello,

New caption contest starts today. Cartoon is about lab tools.
It is the story of a multichannel pipette and Pasteur pipettes.
What may they say to multichannel pipette? :)

Last day of submission is on March 4, 2012. Rules and related information is on the submission page.

Link for the SUBMISSION PAGE
Good luck!
:)

Oh! here is the comic by the way...

We are all genes but...

2012-02-17T02:04:00.000-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

No way out

2012-02-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Love stabilizes the DNA!

2012-02-14T00:06:00.000-05:00

May be love is stabilizing the DNA , not the hydrogen bonds...

All we need is love

2012-02-13T07:59:00.000-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Moods:ups and downs

2012-02-11T10:59:00.004-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Most of the time grad students deal with this situation, ups and downs of their advisors...

If you don't have that kind of problem then you are a very very lucky student!

When a computational biologist working on the algorithm.

2012-02-10T00:27:00.002-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

After the third scene, then there may be a fourth one where we can add the "KABOOOM" stage! :)

High in sugar: "Artificial sweetener's love"

2012-02-09T08:32:00.000-05:00

Love is in the air!

2012-02-08T08:10:00.001-05:00

We got mail!

2012-02-07T08:25:00.008-05:00

Winner of the first caption contest received the t-shirt!

Giorgos is the winner of the first caption contest. Thanks to him for his kindly sharing this photo with us. By the way I should mention that composition and effects in the photo belong to him.

Since we are scientists, we should cite the work. :)...and here is the photo!

Thanks again Giorgos!

Congrats!

Giorgos Tsaousis

Athens, Greece

Winner of the first caption contest

...and the winner of the second caption contest is...!

2012-02-05T13:04:00.000-05:00

(Total votes: 399 during the voting period)

The Winner, (236 votes)

"In your future I see a polymerase is going to pull you apart,

but dont panic I see new base pairs for the both of you"

Submitted by Linzi Eddington

Liverpool, UK

Second Place, (87 votes)

" Let me sequence you, I'll determine your future. "

Submitted by Oz Solomon

Rishon-Le-Zion, Israel.

Third Place, (76 votes)

" I see very very deep sequencing in your future!"

Submitted by Sofia Lizarraga

Providence, USA

Congratulations to " Linzi Eddington ",

and she will receive the Biocomicals t-shirt soon!

http://www.ooshirts.com

I also would like to thank to all who submit their captions

and as well as to the voters.

New caption contest will start soon!

I will post the updates here at Biocomicals and at Facebook page

THANKS!!!

Frustration of a pointer; After pointing out all significant findings...

2012-02-04T09:20:00.001-05:00

(Click on the comic for higher resolution)

Thanks to Michael Schmidt for his cartoon idea!

You are so mean!

2012-02-02T08:54:00.001-05:00

(Click on the comic for higher resolution)

What if Pinocchio becomes a grad student?

2012-02-01T00:35:00.001-05:00

(Click on the comic for higher resolution)

Bottom of the tube: Pellets!

2012-01-31T08:05:00.001-05:00

Petri dishmania

2012-01-30T08:02:00.000-05:00

Gel rights!

2012-01-28T10:45:00.002-05:00

(Click on the comic for higher resolution)

If you do something wrong then confess.

2012-01-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

(Click on the comic for higher resolution)

They need calibration!

2012-01-26T07:30:00.000-05:00

Just a data point

2012-01-25T07:35:00.000-05:00

Don't tell me, tell him!

2012-01-24T07:33:00.001-05:00

Finalists of the second caption contest

2012-01-22T10:14:00.001-05:00

Hello,

Submission part of the second caption contest was over on Friday (Jan 20).
Thank you very much for your submissions.

Again there were many interesting captions submitted.

Here are the top three finalists and their caption suggestions.

For the next two weeks voting will take a place, voting will end on Feb 5, 2012.

Top of this page, you will see names of the finalists, locations and their captions. You can vote from there.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oz Solomon, Rishon-Le-Zion, Israel."Let me sequence you, I'll determine your future."

Sofia Lizarraga, Providence, USA.
"I see very very deep sequencing in your future!"

Linzi Eddington, Liverpool, UK.
"In your future I see a polymerase is going to pull you apart, but dont panic I see new base pairs for the both of you"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the t-shirt that winner will get, it was created by Biocomicals and designed at ooshirts.com.

Thanks again for all your contribution!

Survival skills

2012-01-21T09:26:00.001-05:00

(click on the comic for better resolution)

Gel drama

2012-01-19T00:12:00.002-05:00

(click on the comic for better resolution)

Thanks to Ann Catherine Eugenia Saunders for the cartoon idea

Making gels, running gels, it is not an easy business, especially for the newbies!

Don't go to the Dark Side!

2012-01-18T00:02:00.001-05:00

(click on the comic for better resolution)

Running the lab!

2012-01-17T01:15:00.000-05:00

(click on the comic for better resolution)

There are different ways of expressions!

2012-01-16T12:07:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Joan Stabila for the cartoon idea!

Don't be scared!

2012-01-14T00:38:00.001-05:00

(click on the comic for better resolution)

It's too complicated

2012-01-13T01:01:00.000-05:00

PhD...

2012-01-12T00:49:00.003-05:00

(click on the comic for better resolution)

Thanks to Dr. Ece Gamsiz for the cartoon idea!

Is there a universal remote control?

2012-01-11T01:25:00.002-05:00

(click on the comic for better resolution)

"I have a PhD in experimental biology"

2012-01-09T00:02:00.010-05:00

Info for non-science readers:
"In silico" is an expression used to mean "performed on computer or via computer simulation."
In silico research in medicine is thought to have the potential to speed the rate of discovery while reducing the need for expensive lab work and clinical trials.
[Wikipedia]

Bioinformatician's nightmare-2

2012-01-07T10:52:00.000-05:00

(click on the comic for better resolution)

Previously I drew another nightmare and it is under this link --->"Bioinformatician's nightmare"
and now this is version-2
and yes there are so many versions to draw..:)

Building blocks of proteins

2012-01-05T23:15:00.000-05:00

New round of caption contest is online now!

2012-01-05T00:05:00.002-05:00

Hello,

Biocomicals cartoon caption contest (BCCC) is starting for the new round today and caption submissions will be open until January 20, 2012.

You can submit your captions from the link under the BCCC tab on top of this page You will find the details and rules about the contest on the BCCC page as well.

Here is the direct link for submitting your captions,

'caption submission'.

Good luck!

The winner of the caption contest

2012-01-04T07:38:00.003-05:00

* HGNC: HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee

(Total votes: 104 during the voting period)

The Winner, (43 votes)

"HGNC is going to be our Godparent!"

Submitted by Giorgos Tsaousis

Athens, Greece

Second Place, (35 votes)

"This is all I have to show from my 'deep sequencing' experiment"

Submitted by Andrew Duong

Hamilton, Canada

Third Place, (26 votes)

"Thanks for your donation. We couldn't have done it without you!"

Submitted by Joan Stabila

Providence, USA

Congratulations to "Georgios Tsaousis", and he will receive the Biocomicals t-shirt soon!

http://www.ooshirts.com

I also would like to thank to all who submit their captions and as well as to the voters.

By the way second caption contest will start tomorrow (Jan 5, 2012) !
and here is the new contest link

A father and a son: Computational scientist and his son

2012-01-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

Computational scientist and his son both have their own toys!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T00:05:00.000-05:00

Genome research can save lives!

2011-12-30T00:43:00.000-05:00

Seducing gene was discovered

2011-12-29T00:17:00.000-05:00

New year resolutions in the lab

2011-12-28T08:28:00.001-05:00

Please click on the comic for higher resolution.

Information is everything

2011-12-26T00:05:00.000-05:00

Scientific truths behind the fairy tales.

2011-12-23T09:44:00.002-05:00

Scientific truths behind the fairy tales: The Princess and The Frog

We all know about these fairy tales.
We liked to listen them when we were kids but do we know the scientific truth(s) behind them?
Here is a chance for you to see behind the curtains, to see the truth. :)
Here at Biocomicals we came up with a new idea, what about the fairy tales?
Can we show the "scientific" truth behind them?

If you have also explanations and theories about fairy tales, you can contribute and send your scientific ideas:) by email (email is somewhere in the column on the right side).

We are starting the series of these cartoons today...and starting with "The Princess and The Frog".

Please click on the comic for higher resolution.

Caption finalists!

2011-12-22T01:00:00.003-05:00

Hi Everybody,

Caption submission is over now. Thank you very much for your submissions.

There were many interesting captions submitted and it was tough to choose the top three.
Here are top three finalists and their caption suggestions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Duong, Hamilton, Canada
"This is all I have to show from my 'deep sequencing' experiment"

Georgios Tsaousis, Athens, Greece
"HGNC* is going to be our Godparent!"

Joan Stabila, Providence, USA
"Thanks for your donation. We couldn't have done it without you!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* HGNC: HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee

For the next two weeks voting will take a place,
Voting will end on Jan 4, 2012.

Top of this page, you will see names, places and their captions. You can vote from there.

By the way this is the t-shirt that winner will get, it was created by Biocomicals and designed at ooshirts.com.

Thanks again for all your contribution.

Last day of caption submission

2011-12-21T00:47:00.003-05:00

Today is the last day of caption submission, voting for the best caption will be starting tomorrow.
So before the submission ends, send your captions and be the part of fun at Biocomicals :)

~~Here is the LINK for caption submission.~~

A scientific flash disc

2011-12-19T00:05:00.001-05:00

A scientific flash disc of our modern times....

non-coding RNAs: lost in translation

2011-12-18T00:05:00.010-05:00

Thanks to Dr. Tirza Doniger for the cartoon idea!

War and Peace in English and in Russian.

Of Mice and Men

2011-12-16T00:05:00.002-05:00

I like Hemingway, his amazing story telling style, his observations...
Here is a cartoon I was inspired by him.
Scientist version :)

Gene silencing

2011-12-14T00:05:00.000-05:00

Info for non-science readers:
"The term gene silencing is generally used to describe the "switching off" of a gene by a mechanism other than genetic modification." [Wikipedia]

Evolution of genes

2011-12-12T00:39:00.000-05:00

Genes change over time. Some of them may have the "like button" sooner than the others!

Turn the lights off!

2011-12-10T11:36:00.002-05:00

Biocomicals Cartoon Caption Contest starts!

2011-12-07T00:28:00.002-05:00

Hello,

Biocomicals Cartoon Caption Contest is starting today. You can send your captions until Dec 21, 2011.

Contest will be open for caption submission for two weeks. Then the top three finalists will be listed and voting will start.

Now it is submission time! :) Bring your creativity to Biocomicals!

View the contest cartoon!

Winner will get a free Biocomicals t-shirt.

Special thanks to our sponsor ooshirts!

About the start date of the Biocomicals Cartoon Caption Contest (BCCC)

2011-12-05T00:19:00.001-05:00

Hello,

Biocomicals cartoon caption contest (BCCC) is starting on Wednesday 12:30 am (ET), Dec 7, 2011.

You will see the BCCC tab on the main page as it was shown in the picture below.
The details of the contest are available under the BCCC tab.

By the way winner of the contest will get a free Biocomicals t-shirt! :)

Gene therapy

2011-12-04T00:52:00.000-05:00

Gene therapy is something like that, isn't it?

Scientific Catastrophes

2011-12-02T00:02:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Dr. Taner Kaya for his cartoon idea!

(Please click on the cartoon for higher resolution)

While we were talking about the cartoon that was published on Tuesday, this idea popped up.
Idea was from Dr. Kaya, and a little extension of the story was from me:)

Updates about the Biocomicals Cartoon Caption Contest

2011-11-30T00:44:00.001-05:00

Hi Everybody,

I would like to post some more updates about the Biocomicals Cartoon Caption Contest...and here they are.

Entering or winning the contest is going to be totally free.
Each month a Biocomicals cartoon without caption(s) will be posted.
Cartoon will stay online for two weeks for caption submission.
End of the term, three finalists will be chosen by the cartoonist.
Three finalists will be displayed on the main page of Biocomicals. Voting will be open for 2 weeks. Winner will be determined by the highest number of votes by the Biocomicals visitors. If the number of votes for the finalists is “equal”, then winner will be chosen by random selection.

The winner of the Biocomicals caption contest will be released along with the cartoon at Biocomicals and gets the prize, a free Biocomicals t-shirt!

Biocomicals Cartoon Caption contest will be starting soon!

Tarzan of the genomics jungle

2011-11-29T00:05:00.004-05:00

Sometimes how bioinformaticians feel!

Biocomicals Cartoon Caption Contest is starting soon!

2011-11-27T15:44:00.002-05:00

As a scientist while I was dealing with the very fine details of health and diseases, I also wanted to share my inspirations, ideas by cartoons.
Without any Ads or any other campaigns Biocomicals started to grow day by day. Visitors literally from all over the world started to follow Biocomicals.
Now they do not only follow but also contribute in Biocomicals. They send their cartoon ideas and I draw them. Although I have an extremely busy schedule and a significant workload, I always find a spot in 24 hours to draw. It is a kind of meditation, I should say.

Of course when I see the reflection of this effort by the visitors' interest, it is very encouraging to think some more fun things to add into Biocomicals. My aim is to make science more fun and introduce the details of new developments to non-science people. I believe if Biocomicals becomes more interactive it will be more effective in that direction.

Regarding to this interactivity, Biocomicals Cartoon Caption Contest (BCCC) will be starting soon. As a follower of Biocomicals, you can enter this contest, it will be totally free. Basically, there will be a cartoon without captions and you, the participants will submit your captions. Details are coming soon.

The winner will get a free Biocomicals t-shirt. Special thanks to our sponsor ooshirts for their contribution.

http://www.ooshirts.com/

Genetics of cardiovascular diseases

2011-11-25T00:04:00.000-05:00

Is there an internet connection there?

2011-11-23T02:02:00.000-05:00

What if they are using wireless and we don't know?

Targeted sequencing; The question is "where?"

2011-11-21T00:05:00.002-05:00

[please click on the comic for higher resolution]

Targeting specific regions rather than doing whole genome sequencing my be an advantage. We may have more coverage by focusing reads on our area of interest.

Squeezing your genome is cheaper than lemonade

2011-11-17T00:24:00.002-05:00

Cost of sequencing is falling sharply. "Genome sequencing cheaper than lemonade" is not going to be surprising very soon.
For more info visit http://www.genome.gov/sequencingcosts/

Cloud computing: A Smart Cloud

2011-11-16T01:49:00.000-05:00

Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is a marketing term for technologies that provide computation, software, data access, and storage services that do not require end-user knowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system that delivers the services [Wikipedia].

An exaggerated version of Stockholm syndrome.

2011-11-15T00:45:00.003-05:00

About Stockholm Syndrome:
In psychology, Stockholm Syndrome is a term used to describe a real paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them [Wikipedia].

Today is 11.11.11

2011-11-11T01:26:00.000-05:00

I can always do my own experiments!

2011-11-10T08:33:00.004-05:00

Possibility of having an "undo" option in this life is great. Although most of the times this "undo" option is in the fairy tales.
I was trained as a medical biochemist and molecular biologist, then I did my PhD in computational biology, this story "possibly" was inspired from my own experience, I guess :).
It is also a good thing to have both experiences; being behind the lab bench and then being behind the computer screen.

Polyploidy

2011-11-07T00:42:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Dr. Karyn Megy for the cartoon idea.

(Please click on the cartoon for higher resolution)

Info for non-science readers

Polyploid is a term used to describe cells and organisms containing more than two paired (homologous) sets of chromosomes [Wikipedia].

After doing shotgun sequencing.

2011-11-05T09:02:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Dr. Padbury for the cartoon idea!

Which group are you in?

2011-11-02T05:10:00.003-04:00

While I was drawing this cartoon, my wife had a comment "Ohh! This is so mean!"
"But honey..." I said. "This is the reality".
:)

Halloween 2: Halloween time, express yourself.

2011-10-31T00:02:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloweens!:) It's Halloween time, express yourself.

Halloween 1: Lab Break!

2011-10-29T10:53:00.000-04:00

Social media tools are not just for fun!

2011-10-28T00:02:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Dr. U. Murat Erdem for the cartoon idea.

Social media tools were also used in Van Earthquake. Such as Twitter has a location feature that allows users to pinpoint their exact locations/co-ordinates. These tools are not just for fun, they are saving lives as well!

After Van’s quake, social media saves lives

2011-10-27T00:06:00.003-04:00

After Van’s quake, social media saves lives.

We don't know when or where will be the next one!

2011-10-25T01:25:00.005-04:00

There has been a very strong earthquake in Turkey two days ago.

Death toll is around 300 now but sadly still increasing.

VOA

LINK FOR DONATIONS -->For donations to Turkish Red Cross

[*As a reference, currently, 10 USD is equal to about 18 Turkish Liras. (The 'amount of donation' box on the form is in Turkish currency.]

Alzheimer's Disease

2011-10-21T01:11:00.000-04:00

Alzheimer's disease (AD), is one form of dementia that gradually gets worse over time. It affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Memory impairment, as well as problems with language, decision-making ability, judgment, and personality, are necessary features for the diagnosis. [PudMed Health]

How would you like to be sequenced?

2011-10-19T00:05:00.001-04:00

Coming back from ICHG ASHG 2011 meeting

2011-10-16T18:24:00.000-04:00

ASHG 2011 meeting was great, we both presented our posters and they were both well received.

On the way back home, we saw several highly expressed genes from the window of our plane.

Now, back to work!

off to ICHG/ASHG 2011 meeting

2011-10-11T01:33:00.003-04:00

We will be presenting our work at ICHG/ASHG 2011 meeting in Montreal, Canada.
If you are there, come see our posters.

Poster info for the Scientoonist (Dr. Alper Uzun)
Session Title: Prenatal and Perinatal Genetics   Session Type: Poster
Session Location: Exhibit Hall, Level 2, Convention Center   Session Time: Wed 10:00AM-7:00PM
Title: Runs of Homozygosity (ROH) analysis from GWAS data for Preterm Birth.

Poster info for his scientist wife (Dr. Ece Gamsiz)
Session Title: Genomics   Session Type: Poster
Session Location: Exhibit Hall, Level 2, Convention Center   Session Time: Fri 7:00AM-4:30PM
Title:  Novel Features of Neural Retina Transcriptome Revealed by High-throughput RNA-Sequencing.

GWASmania: Craving for power

2011-10-10T01:10:00.002-04:00

Total of 2000 cases and controls...

5000 cases and controls?

I want more...and more...(~just like the way of our modern lives like saying "I want everything" :) )

Then eventually symptoms like "craving for power" starts for the scientists...

and when sample space may not be enough for what you are looking in the genome.

Then GWASmania starts :)

iCloud: Steve Jobs 1955-2011

2011-10-08T09:58:00.000-04:00

Creative genius: Steve Jobs

Reassembling the genome while annotating

2011-10-08T00:49:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Dr. Karyn Megy for the cartoon idea.

Ten minute talk

2011-10-05T00:05:00.010-04:00

I am not a fan of "ten minute talk" or "ten minute presentation".
You may have so many things to share and you just present it in a fast pace...faster and faster. At the end of the talk you feel nervous, and the audience is still looking.
Like a rambo style presentation.:)

Recent trend in cell-cell interactions: "Iphone 5 release date!"

2011-09-29T01:17:00.000-04:00

(please click on the cartoon for larger image)

Iphone5 release date is one of the important topics of our lives! :P

Gene gene interactions: "Are you on Facebook?"

2011-09-28T00:05:00.001-04:00

After the surgery

2011-09-26T01:09:00.000-04:00

High in sugar: "That day will come..."

2011-09-22T13:47:00.000-04:00

Are you ready for whole genome sequencing?

2011-09-19T02:00:00.001-04:00

Back to lab

2011-09-16T06:56:00.000-04:00