CRESMET Anna Hicks July 14-18

Monday - I prepared solutions to test for petri dish bacterial assay in the classroom.  Specifically, I needed to know if we could use the microwave instead of the autoclave to set the medium in the petri dishes.  The solution set perfectly using the microwave which will save me from having to drive down to ASU to autoclave the petri dishes in order to perform the lab.  I then took bacterial swabs of the doorknob and the elevator button to see if there was any bacterial/yeast growth.  The purpose was two-fold:  firstly to see if bacteria would reproduce on the microwaved agar and secondly, to see if it would duplicate appropriately without the use of the incubator as we do not have that option at the high school.  Tomorrow will tell us the answers.

Tuesday - There is almost no visible growth on the plates today.  Tomorrow I will check them again.  I checked chemical and equipment order books for catalog numbers and prices on all of the items needed for the plate assay and the ELISA.  Most were found but it took a long time to find the best prices for the ordering.  I retrieved the medium from the autoclave for the research project.

Wednesday - Today there is visible growth on the plates!  That's really a relief...but obviously room temperature will need more time to show the growth on the plates when the students perform this test at the school.  I cleaned equipment (the yucky job!) but got it mostly done.  We then (the entire lab staff) got to sit in on a Master thesis being defended!  Everything new and different is exciting!  This was interesting.  We then went back to the lab duties. 

Thursday - There is no lab this morning as our grad student has a medical appointment.

Friday - We will go in and see if there is anything to finish in the lab.

MSTF 2008 Hicks 4th week Protein HIV

Monday, July 7, Melissa is on vacation this week and we had decided previously that Trudi and I would use that time to compile our powerpoint, poster and lessons plans.  

Tuesday, July 8, we worked on our poster layout and categories.

Wednesday, July 9, we worked on verbage and state standards.

Thursday, July 10, we worked on picture layout and colors.

Friday, July 11, I had an appointment this morning.

MSTF 2008 Hicks 3rd week Protein HIV

Monday, June 30, Melissa and Dr. Ghirlanda examined the phage colonies growing in the petri dishes and neither were satisfied with what they were seeing.  In a review of protocol and procedures there was no obvious indication as to just why and at what point in the procedure something changed from the original.  It was decided that Melissa would call the company after returning from vacation on Monday, July 14 and see if there was any suggestion that they would make about the material which they supplied.

Tuesday, July 1, we spent reading material and cleaning up some of the equipment in the lab.

Wednesday, July 2, we went over some of the equipment we would need to perform a lab at our high school.  We checked the order book to check prices on some of the equipment to see what would be feasible to order for the high school.

Thursday, July 3, Trudi and I started working on the lesson for the high school and putting together the pictures for the powerpoint presentation.