Week 5-02/25/2014

Week 5 is upon me, and this is the week that my research begins in earnest. My primers will be arriving from the suppliers on Thursday, so on that date I will be able to begin the process of testing my hypothesis regarding universal primers for the 16s rRNA identification of common bacterial species.

Until then, I will continue electrophoresis gels on the DNA I extracted from Escherichia coli during my last laboratory session, and continuing to raise my awareness of basic laboratory processes. To that end, today another intern instructed me in the production of TSA plates for use in culturing by the Microbiology students.

Last week, the S-STEM students and faculty members were the lucky recipients of an expense-paid field trip to the Wildlife World Zoo in far-west Phoenix. While I am not  proponent of zoos in general, preferring the observance of wildlife in its natural habitat to captivity for the collection of data, the excursion was an excellent opportunity to witness a number of species that are not endemic to the desert Southwest. I particularly enjoyed the albino alligators and white tiger; one could make an argument that these creatures will have a longer lifespan in captivity than in the wild, due to the likelihood of predation in the wild as a result of them lacking the natural camouflage present in their non-albino brethren.

Here's a shot:

 

 

What is outside the frame of the shot is the bar and grill located directly next to the very small tank containing this endangered individual, where zoo patrons could order Pabst Blue Ribbon beer in cans for only $2.00 and ogle him from the comfort of their bar stools. Incongruous, to say the least.