Test, Test and Re-Test

This past week was the sixth week of the program and we have reached past the halfway point. During this week I collected most of the data for my side project. First, I needed to finish gathering all of the perturbation data from the concentration that I used in the previous week. This concentration with a ratio of 1:11 took two days to collect and assess all of the data. Each day after I finished my perturbation data collection, my mentor and I tested the liquid manifold for overnight data collection. Through these tests we were trying to discover the bugs located in the Labview program that prevents long term data collection. We still have been unable to discover the source of the error. However, I have been able to collect the data needed for my perturbation experiment without any major problems.

Once I finished the 1:11 concentration tests, I made reagents at a 1:9 ratio concentration. This concentration was the strongest that I have tested up to that point. Using this fourth concentration I am assessing the best concentration of reagent to use for the long term experiment and the numerical relationship of rebound time in the pHstat system. This data also took two days to collect. Using the perturbation data I finished my presentation, which I presented on Thursday to the other interns of the program with all of the information on my project up to that point. Then on Friday I transferred the needed cultures and made more media for the continuation of the experiment. Next week I shall be assesing the latest data and I am excited to see the results!