This past summer, I learned about archaea, an ancestor of eukaryotes that the scientific community knows relatively very little about. My project’s goal was to create an experiment using bacteria and archaea -- the species Escherichia coli and Haloferax volcanii, respectively -- which will provide underprivileged schools a more accessible microbiology experiment focused on differentiating archaea and bacteria. Through this work, I learned the importance of knowing the distinctions between bacteria and archaea because, while we see bacteria (figuratively) in our daily lives, archaea also play an important role in humans. I also had the amazing opportunity to co-author a paper to be published in a journal in which I learned the formatting and language that is typically used when writing one. Preparing a paper is pretty precise too, such as which heading to use where, making sure to italicize the different species of microorganisms, and researching every detail we would need to submit a credible and accurate paper. I even got the chance to tap into my creative side and learn to create my own scientific model of bacteria and archaea from scratch. When the paper was finalized, I dove into a deeper topic concerning Haloferax volcanii to look into the effects of a deletion of the cirA gene.
The cirA gene is believed to be involved with the circadian rhythm of H. volcanii. Circadian rhythms are the natural clocks that some organisms have, including us, that respond to the light and day environments. What I’ve started to find toward the end of my summer is that depending on whether H. volcanii is present in the light or dark, both wild type and the deleted cirA gene strains behave differently. For example, H. volcanii was able to move on special plates called motility plates when in the light, but not at all in the dark. This variation also depended on how they were grown: either on a plate of solid media or inside a tube in liquid media.
These experiments involved a lot of new protocols and techniques, some of which required very fine precision. I learned how to work an autoclave, which is basically a huge oven designed to sterilize either tools or liquid media using very high temperatures and pressure. I also learned how to properly use a spectrophotometer and even a very expensive microscope, which gave absolutely stunning pictures of cells. I remember in the beginning and as time progressed, I slowly became more independent in the protocols and tasks I did in the lab which brought out a side in me I didn’t have before. This independence and confidence are traits that I definitely need to have while I’m pursuing medical school, while also knowing it’s alright to ask for help, something I did a lot of when I needed it in the lab. Beyond the lab protocols and techniques I learned in the lab, most importantly to me, I learned how to work in a team that was there for me through every mistake and breakthrough.
This past summer, I learned about archaea, an ancestor of eukaryotes that the scientific community knows relatively very little about. My project’s goal was to create an experiment using bacteria and archaea -- the species Escherichia coli and Haloferax volcanii, respectively -- which will provide underprivileged schools a more accessible microbiology experiment focused on differentiating archaea and bacteria. Through this work, I learned the importance of knowing the distinctions between bacteria and archaea because, while we see bacteria (figuratively) in our daily lives, archaea also play an important role in humans. I also had the amazing opportunity to co-author a paper to be published in a journal in which I learned the formatting and language that is typically used when writing one. Preparing a paper is pretty precise too, such as which heading to use where, making sure to italicize the different species of microorganisms, and researching every detail we would need to submit a credible and accurate paper. I even got the chance to tap into my creative side and learn to create my own scientific model of bacteria and archaea from scratch. When the paper was finalized, I dove into a deeper topic concerning Haloferax volcanii to look into the effects of a deletion of the cirA gene.
The cirA gene is believed to be involved with the circadian rhythm of H. volcanii. Circadian rhythms are the natural clocks that some organisms have, including us, that respond to the light and day environments. What I’ve started to find toward the end of my summer is that depending on whether H. volcanii is present in the light or dark, both wild type and the deleted cirA gene strains behave differently. For example, H. volcanii was able to move on special plates called motility plates when in the light, but not at all in the dark. This variation also depended on how they were grown: either on a plate of solid media or inside a tube in liquid media.
These experiments involved a lot of new protocols and techniques, some of which required very fine precision. I learned how to work an autoclave, which is basically a huge oven designed to sterilize either tools or liquid media using very high temperatures and pressure. I also learned how to properly use a spectrophotometer and even a very expensive microscope, which gave absolutely stunning pictures of cells. I remember in the beginning and as time progressed, I slowly became more independent in the protocols and tasks I did in the lab which brought out a side in me I didn’t have before. This independence and confidence are traits that I definitely need to have while I’m pursuing medical school, while also knowing it’s alright to ask for help, something I did a lot of when I needed it in the lab. Beyond the lab protocols and techniques I learned in the lab, most importantly to me, I learned how to work in a team that was there for me through every mistake and breakthrough.