Transient Self-association of Beta2-adrenergic Receptors

The signatures which appear below verify the fact that all required changes have been incorporated and that the thesis/dissertation has received iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It has always been my dream to discover the unknown, understand the truth beneath the phenomena, and apply what I have learned to benefit us human beings. I was born in a traditional Taiwanese family in which education is always of top priority. Both my parents have tried their best to provide me an education-brothers and sisters who are also passionate about nature and curious about everything. I can still remember how excited we were for the first time we observed the cell wall of a cork through a basic light microscope. I also remember how frustrating it was when our silkworms were dead for unknown reason. I guess I would not be so interested in science and research without my childhood experiences. Research is always tough, especially when the hypothesis is on the opposite side against the mainstream. However, Nevin helps make my life much easier. He is so passionate about science and loves research so deeply that he does experiment by himself almost on a daily basis. His passion encourages me whenever I feel tired about sciences. He is such a smart person that he can always give me valuable suggestions whenever I feel frustrated about the iv " surprising " results. He is also a patient person that he allows me enough time to learn, to think, and to make mistakes. It is my fortune to become his student. Kou must be one of the most optimistic persons in the world. He is always full of energy and never gives up hope even when his research once went to the dead end. He shows me how to live everyday happily even when things did not go well. He is curious about everything and always has his own very different opinion for virtually every issue. I miss the " tea time " with him in the every afternoon. We talked a lot, dreamed a lot, and laughed a lot. Kou has really made my research life happier. Sudha and Qiuju are our lab managers. Both of them are patient and responsible. They have really tried their best to keep the lab organized. They also helped me a lot in making plasmid constructs, cell culture, chemical preparation, and ordering supplies. I couldn't finish any experiment without …