Chromatin’s Turn to Shine

Foundational Knowledge
Epigenetic Mechanisms, Chromatin
PhD Proposal
Published

March 18, 2026

Plan of the Week: March 16 - 22, 2026

  • I am feeling marginally better, and since I didn’t map the week on Sunday, the plan today is to keep it low key so I don’t put myself back at square one.
  • Monday: Map the week, catch up on UW-RUA work, confirm my spring/ summer tide schedule, build base histone and chromatin knowledge notes.
  • Tuesday: UW-RUA work, no science.
  • Wednesday: Return to epigenetic mechanisms to outline new Chapter 3 for my proposal.
  • Thursday: Biomarker manuscript
  • Friday: Biomarker manuscript
  • Saturday: Return to Chapter 3 outline and start drafting options for the introduction and methods.
  • Sunday: Continue Chapter 3 work.

Missing from the plan is the DNA Methylation work - it will be worked into the other priorities as time permits, or be a focus for spring break week next week.

Plan of the Day

  • Today is chromatin’s day to shine!
    • Compile current notes, identify basic biology, any applicable marine invert knowledge, and develop some questions around the mechanism in the context of my work.
  • Format and render my lab notebook posts so they look less like an unhinged diary…

Projects Touched Today

  • Lab Notebook
  • PhD Proposal
  • Foundational Knowledge

Progress Notes

  • I caught up the notebook posts, archived February’s posts to a single doc, and added a few images to make things more fun!
  • I started by prepping for my afternoon meetings
    • UW-RUA applicants X 2 re: research statement feedback
    • NW Straits April 3rd Caroline Gibson ‘Conference’ prep re: posters and abstract submission guidelines
    • Henry Art Gallery re: my written accompaniment piece for a summer showcase
    • Alternate paths to marine science for a high school group related to the IG cohort
  • I completed a one- pager for a STEM/social science collaboration in late 2026/ early 2027 if accepted
  • I completed the initial pass on the chromatin explainer, but found that it is mostly questions and connections to histones (obviously), so this may be the shorted explainer yet!
    • Once I clean this up, I will add it to the digital notes but right now my handwritten notes are all over the place.
    • Next steps are to put all three mechanisms together and make a plan for how to use current open source data to develop an analysis plan.

Products & Word Count

  • Building Bridges in Conservation: 765 words
  • Chromatin raw notes (handwritten): 230 words

Today’s total: 995 words

Monthly total to date: 6592 words

Annual total to date: 28,287 words

Annual target total to date: 38,500 words

Tomorrow’s Plan

  • Clean up chromatin notes and add to epigenetics explainers in my foundational knowledge db.

  • Pivot to using the notes to create a plan for Chapter 3.

  • Review biomarker manuscript and make a plan for completion.