New Enzyme Digests, More Extractions, and Two Fun Filled Learning Adventures (Week 7)

What a packed, yet fun week!

Monday was used to run another restriction enzyme digest experiment. This time I used the enzyme BamH1 because it cuts the Fosmid in a different location than Not1. This was done because not all of the results from the Not1 digestions were conclusive. Wednesday saw the extraction of more Fosmids from 12 samples. Using PCR, I was able to find out that all of the samples were positive for the Archael 16S gene except for one. This is the best news we have gotten on any Fosmid extractions so far! Based on those PCR results, on Thursday I ran a large enzyme digestion experiment. I used all the sample extracted on Wednesday and ran two different trials. The first one used Not1 and the second used BamH1. This was done in order to compare which enzyme was producing the best results in cutting out the Archeal insert from the Fosmid.

            This week also contained some fun and valuable learning experiences. On Tuesday Vanessa took us interns to Boneville Dam and Multnomah Falls. On the way up to the dam we learned a great deal of natural history of the gorge from Grant Law. At the dam we learned about how dams have come a long way in attempting to restore wildlife in the river and how they still have a ways to go. We also got to see the generators in one of the dam’s bays; quite impressive I might say!

            On Friday Vanessa took most of us up to the OHSU School of Medicine where we toured most of the large campus and heard from various speakers. This was quite interesting to me because my grandfather was a Microbiologist at Emmanuel Hospital in Portland as well as a teacher at OHSU. Saying that, I have grown to be quite interested in the medical field and found the tour to be inspiring and intriguing.