Bi-Monthly Journal
This is a bi-monthly updated blog tracking Chase's progress throughout the completion of his project.
Summary of WorkThe past 15 days have been extremely packed with fellows-related stuff for me! I finished the SOP and created a final, edited version, which is below. This version will essentially be my guide for the in-lab research after winter break, and is extremely comprehensive and specific. It was the culmination of 2 months of work and combined tons of papers into one cohesive, technical step-by-step. In addition to completely finishing and editing a final draft of the SOP, I also created an itemized list for every single item I will need for my project's in-lab portion. The list includes everything from chemicals to E. coli bacteria to thousands of dollars in technical scientific machines, however I made an effort to be as cost-conscious as possible while creating the list. I compared numerous suppliers on every single item to ensure I was finding the cheapest, most cost-effective solution to every step of the SOP. I made sure to list enough materials to do the necessary trials, without overspending on too much extra (leaving me a margin for error which is inevitable, without breaking the bank). This list took days to create because every single item was researched, and is extremely comprehensive. There are only 3 items on the list that are not yet determined: the rHb0.0 DNA plasmid, the complimentary oligonucleotides, and the Bioreactor. (see "Looking forward" below for my plan with these three items). Some of the items have been ordered using the school credit card. However, because of the large amount of spending in such a short period of time, the card began to decline any more purchases (something about "suspected fraud..." oops). So, I spent about 2 hours with Ms Carsley on 12/15 making filled requisition forms with pictures and specifications for every. single. item. (sans the ones already ordered). This was tedious (and thank you Ms. Carsley for the helping complete them) but it was very rewarding in the end to have such a large milestone completed. The materials should be ordered within the coming days, and arrive after break. I also met with Mr. DeMarte briefly and updated him on everything I have been doing and plan to do over break (see "Looking Forward" below). This meeting was short and to the point, but it was good to just touch base and keep my mentors updated. Finalized SOPItemized Purchasing ListPICTURES!!!!! :)Finally, something other than just words on one of my blog posts! I envy my artistic & creative Fellows peers who have visually interesting blog posts... Here are some shots from when I was ordering materials with Ms. Carsley on 12/15. Shout out to the finance department at Severn for helping when the credit card declined! Looking ForwardI mentioned above that there were a few things I did not order in this main round of ordering. The rHb0.0 DNA plasmid and the complimentary oligonucleotides are both things I can order AFTER winter break, when I have the "lab" set up. This will be important to do then as opposed to now because both the DNA and the oligonucleotides have a shelf life. I am also planning to do a ton of research over break, determining which companies I can get to synthesize the plasmids and oligonucleotides for me for the cheapest price. The third item I have not yet purchased is the bioreactor. This is the machine that will allow the DNA-filled bacteria to actually product the proteins I want them to, and they typically range in the 10's of thousands of dollars. Obviously that is not feasible for the scope of this project, so I am planning to design my own over break! Once I have the design finalized, I will meet with my mentors, show it to them, and then order the necessary parts.
January will be spent organizing all the materials as they come in, cleaning the room between Mr. DeMarte and Mr. Witzel's room to use as the "lab," finalizing the bioreactor design, and working on my mid-year presentation (which I will begin during break).
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Summary of WorkOver the past 15 days, I have made tons of progress working on my Standard of Practice, or SOP. As previously mentioned, the SOP directly outlines the actual in-lab steps I will be carrying out this winter, as well as the materials and methods involved. To write the SOP, I had to source many different papers on hemoglobin synthesis in E. coli, and compare different methods of synthesis to evaluate which ways are the best and most feasible. As you can see in the copy of the SOP below, there are both concrete steps and notes through the document. This fellows project has always been and will always continue to be a learning process, and with every new understanding I gain, there are 10 more ideas to explore. So, even throughout the process of writing the SOP, which is largely concrete, tested scientific lab prodecures, there is still a continuous learning curve which is beneficial to my understanding of the underlying biochemistry (hence, the notes). Copy of SOPBelow is a copy of the SOP in it's current state. I plan to continue to refine and develop the SOP, and I want to have a simplified version of it with very easy to follow, clean step by step instructions. This simplified version will help me craft comprehensive yet relatively digestible proposals when applying for funding. However, until I do that (planned to be done before the end of the week) I wanted to upload the current state of the SOP. Upcoming Plans + Potential OptionsIn the coming weeks, I am planning to do all the preparations I need for the in-lab work. I will apply for funding for the materials, and will order them from reputable sources as soon as I am able. I am also planning to meet with Ms. Carsley on 12/2 to discuss funding and my updated project roadmap. I am still on schedule to begin lab work following winter break.
I am also looking into my options for a PCR thermocyler. I can attempt to purchase one, however they range in the thousands of dollars. A potential venture between the science department in junction with the Fellows funding program could enable me to afford the machine. If not, I am looking into potentially building the machine myself over winter break. However, this could take longer than expected, and the machine likely could be inefficient or inaccurate, which would significantly undermine my research this spring. Which path I will take is TBD. |