Student Media
10th Grade Job Shadow - Day One
Today, I shadowed two researches at Scripps Institute of Oceanography use a Polymerase Chain Reaction machine to look at the DNA of signaling proteins from dinoflagellates. The PCR copies the DNA, so there are more series to look at. Then, they took pictures under UV light to look at the strands.
10th Grade Job Shadow - Day Two
Today, I watched another research use a confocal microscope to look at dinoflagellate cells. Using fluorescent properties, we were able to look at the general outline of cells, as well as the chlorophyll inside of it. I watched as he prepared slides, used the microscope, and analyzed pictures.
10th Grade Job Shadow - Day Three
Today I watched a bioluminescence experiment. The researcher prepared tubes with equal amounts of cells, and then left them in the dark to allow them to transition into their night form. After lunch, we examined how much more or less light was emitted after injecting the cells with germanium.
10th Grade Job Shadow - Day Four
On the final day of my job shadow, I watched lead researcher Michael Latz do a micro fluidics experiment on dinoflagellate cells. Latz wanted to see if two drugs would inhibit the bioluminescent response cells had to stimulation. Using cameras and a microscope, he recorded how many cells flashed.