When PCR Results Feel Like a Bad Date

Ever feel like your PCR results are just like that date where things were looking promising until you got ghosted? It’s all excitement until you realize there’s no amplification in sight, and you’re left staring at an empty gel like it’s a breakup text. Let’s share our best lab mishaps and laughs — who’s got a story?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‌‌​‍​​⁠‌‍‌‌​​‌‍​‌​⁠‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌⁠‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍​⁠‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get that! It’s like doing a PCR and getting that dreaded ‘no bands’ result — so disappointing! But hey, at least in the lab, there’s always the chance for a repeat date — er, I mean, a retest.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‍‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‍⁠‌‍​‌‌​⁠‌‌‍​‌‌​‍⁠​⁠​​‌‌​‍‌⁠‌​‌​⁠​‌‍⁠‌‌‍​⁠‌‍​‍‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​