Team:Exeter/Outreach/WorkExp

We started off the week by receiving a briefing about what iGEM was about and what the project was aiming to achieve. Only being at A-level some of what we were told was daunting to say the least! We learnt that the idea was to create bespoke polysaccharides using E.coli. I then got a chance to work on the wiki helping to code for part of the diary page. We were shown around the lab and shown where everything was; I am amazed how anyone remembers where everything is let alone how it all works! We then got to do some practical work; this involved creating agar plates to grow the e-coli on.

The next day the e-coli had grown and we tried to PCR it, eventually we did and after using a multitude of chemicals and a centrifuge we managed to get the DNA into pellet form. We then ran this through a gel; we got a partial result, which is not bad for a first try. Pipetting into a gel takes a steady hand, especially when it is not your work that you could muck up. We then got to work with a PhD student called George; he was testing to see which genes are expressed in a form of algae. We got to make up our own master mixes and cRNA samples to test, unfortunately ours did not work so he said that we could come back on Friday to try again, it probably didn’t help that at this stage my pipetting was still a tad shaky.

On Thursday I spent a day with the dry lab students, I helped to tidy up the spreadsheet for the database, and I designed the ‘site map’ for the wiki, this was interesting as I am interested in coding for both programmes and websites.

Friday came around really quickly and we were back working with George. We were working on different cRNA molecules this time and it worked; well I say that I only got one gene to work, but it is still better than the first go!

Overall this week has been brilliant as I have actually got to do some ‘work’ unlike most placements were you are the tea girl. I have learnt so much about how cross disciplinary academic research teams work; this was invaluable as eventually I want to end up in research. I really hope that ExiGem wins iGem as they really deserve it, if not for the science then for putting up with us for a week!

On Monday morning when we arrived, we were introduced to Exeter’s iGEM 2012 team, and they explained their project and the basics behind the competition. At this point, being an A level student, there was a lot of terminology and concepts that we'd not ever heard of, but the team members were great (and very patient) at re-explaining things in a way that we understood. In the afternoon, we went to the labs and re-suspended the DNA in preparation for a transformation protocol, and made some agar plates to grow a sample of E.coli on. The labs are very different to those we have in school, and being able to observe and use the equipment was fantastic! It has also given me some ideas for my protocol of my A2 Coursework.

On Tuesday we went to Byrne House and sat with the team as they dealt with some of the issues that had arisen in the first 4 weeks of the project. It was really interesting to listen to the conversations, even if I found some of it more difficult to understand! I helped by making a spread sheet of DNA concentrations and corresponding volumes of water for the following day. We also went through the mini-prep protocol, which was great because it meant we knew what to expect in the labs the next day as the procedure would take time and needed to be done efficiently. And Chris ran away.

On Wednesday, our colonies from Monday were less successful than expected so the mini-prep was postponed until Thursday, but we spent the day, working in the lab, with a PHD student working on his RT-PCR protocol, we were both given a cDNA sample to produce and analyse, through electrophoresis and then using UV light to identify the DNA within the gel. Unfortunately ours didn’t work, but he assured us that it took him multiple attempts before his first gel worked.

On Thursday, our colonies were ready for mini prep, and so we spent the day in the lab carrying out the protocol that was planned on Tuesday.

Finally on our last day, we had another attempt at the RT-PCR protocol, and this time, I managed to produce accurate results, a lot better than Wednesday! It was a great way to end the week, especially as the results I obtained may be used in his project towards his PHD!

This week has been brilliant, especially the amount of practical work we were able to carry out, I will definitely recommend this placement to next year’s students as it has been a fantastic opportunity to experience, not only what goes on within the Bio-science department, but also life within the university. And now I know more about iGEM it is definitely something I would be interested in, if the opportunity arises for me! Thank you to the ExiGEM team!