>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
I just don't get it. I do not get this...


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Hey, what's up? You don't look too happy.


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
I'm not! I don't understand this at all.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
What's going on?


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
You know we've been trying for months to replicate those results from the Hanson lab, but ours still don't match up.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
OK. You know what? I'm gonna go give him a call. See if there's something in the paper, maybe in or left out of the methods section, for that assay that we're missing.


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
OK, great.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Yes, several times over the past few months. I'm just brainstorming here, but is it possible we're missing something? Maybe there're some differences in the solutions or peptide?


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
No. I'm looking at what you sent me and it looks like you've got the formulations exactly right.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:Huh. OK.


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
Listen, why don't I send you the files I have... it's all the raw data and the protocols... maybe you find something there?


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Oh great. That's incredibly generous.


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
Well, I'll tell you what, this is starting to bother me too... Will you be in touch?


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Absolutely. Thanks so much, Jeffrey.


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
You got it.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Will you run it one more time while I look thru his files?


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
Sure. I hate to seem superstitious but... cross your fingers, will you?


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
While that's not entirely scientific... whatever works!


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
I can't believe this... it's still not working.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Really?


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
Really. I'm super frustrated. Why can't I repeat this? I've gone over and over the methods section of this paper, every single thing that's here.>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: It doesn't make any sense...>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
This is all I think about... I am counting tubes to fall asleep at night!>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Now that's just sad.>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
But true.

>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
I'm gonna schedule a Skype call with Jeff Hanson. I've looked through the protocols and data and I might have something.  Don't get your hopes up. Face to face, maybe we'll get somewhere.


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:Good idea.


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
No, it looks like you're following all the protocols.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
What about the controls? I didn't see anything in your paper or the files about how they were prepared.


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
We used the same controls we always use.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Where do you get them?


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
I mean, we keep them in the minus eighty freezer, and we take them in and out as we need them.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
So, these are control samples that have been around for possibly years...


>>JEFFREY HANSON:[sighs] Yeah.


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
I've been preparing them fresh each time.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
That could be it.


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
Sure could! Things taken in and out of a freezer will degrade over time...


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Like ice cream... it's not going to taste as good if you've been taking it in and out of the freezer for months, right?


>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
Oh....


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
That tiny detail...


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
...Could make a huge difference.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
Of course.


>>JEFFREY HANSON:
Listen, this has got me thinking. We will rerun the experiment here using freshly prepared controls, and if you'll do the same once more, then we can compare results. I'm a bit worried about this, and want to resolve any questions about this experiment.


>>PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:
That sounds like a good plan. Let's discuss our results next week.


>>JEFFREY HANSON:You got it.

>>RESEARCH ASSISTANT:
And I can go back to counting sheep...


[laughter]