Learning the Ropes

Starting out here at the CMOP internship program, I had a lot to get adjusted to in the lab. For the first week here I learned where most items were located in the lab. During this first week I also learned how to acid wash the lab equipment, create media for the algae and how to transfer cultures in a sterile environment to renew the culture’s nutrients for continued growth. I also dedicated most of my time to reading scientific literature that focused on the background of my project. From this literature I came to further understand the concepts behind ocean acidification and other factors that affect the cellular dynamics of algal blooms. I also discovered that not all algae is beneficial to the environment due to the cells toxin production. Some of the toxins are extremely poisonous and affect the fish we consume. This discovery showed me the importance of the experiment through the assessment of the algae. Hopefully I learn even more next week!