Hi, my name is Tressa. I have a Ph.D. in Pharmacology (the study of drugs and toxins and their effects on living things, not the same as Pharmacy) and a bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering. I work for a biotechnology company as a bioanalytical scientist. I develop custom tests for therapeutic proteins and antibodies to those proteins for support of animal safety studies and human clinical trials. In my rare spare moments, I answer the tough health, nutrition, and science questions that make many of us scratch our heads. My completed coursework includes organic chemistry, physical chemistry, thermodynamics (our bodies really are chemical reactors, you know!), physics, cell biology, biochemistry, cell signaling, pharmacology, cancer biology, immunology, and human genetics. In college, I did chemistry shows for kids and the Ames community as part of S.C.U.M. (Society of Chemistry Undergraduate Majors) at Iowa State and also helped scouts earn their merit badges. My facts come from well-respected peer-reviewed scientific journals or my own coursework. Sometimes, I may consult physicians, other scientists, or engineers to make sure I have the full story. It is not always possible for me to cite every source of information when a topic has been an active area of research for decades. I do not have any financial sponsors, corporate affiliations, or conflicts of interest, so this is all fact-based, unbiased information. My hobbies include hiking, yoga, skiing, snowshoeing, cooking, reading, and gardening. I live in Connecticut with my husband Adam. I used to live in Colorado and miss it every day.
The Story of Science Lady's First Experiment
 |
| Not actually Science Girl's dad. |
Hypothesis: The Tooth Fairy is a big conspiracy perpetuated by Mom and Dad.
Methods: The first opportunity to test Science Girl's hypothesis came when Science Girl's little sister lost a tooth. Science Girl convinced her sister to place the tooth under her pillow as usual and wait for the Tooth Fairy's exchange of tooth for a prize, except neither of them would tell Mom or Dad about the lost tooth or the tooth under the pillow. A real Tooth Fairy would be able to operate even with a communication disruption on the parents!
Results: The Tooth Fairy did not come that night, and Science Girl proved that the Tooth Fairy was really Mom and Dad. Science Girl's mom declared that her days of getting little trinkets and prizes for her baby teeth were over. The rest of Science Girl's baby teeth did not merit a profitable exchange. Science Girl's little sister was given sympathy prizes for her baby teeth.
Conclusion: Sometimes it is better not to know the truth!
