Researching Microbiology

I am very aware that I don't have a basic knowledge of fungi or bacteria, so Megan has lent me a Y13 text book on Microbiology.  I am reading pertinent chapters and taking notes to help me gain a basic understanding and become familiar with some of the scientific terms.
Microbiology - research notes

Diagram and photo images of bacteria under magnification

Pouring plates

Once the agar has been sterilised and cooled, it is ready to pour.  There were a surprising number of things to remember when pouring plates.  When using a one of semi sterile units, it is important to: (1) keep your head out from under the hood (difficult for a short person like myself); (2) wipe down the bench before commencing work; (3) turn the gas on, light the burner and pass the mouth of the bottle through the flame; (4) work from side to side, not front to back; (5) store petri dishes containing bacteria with the agar uppermost and petri dishes containing fungi with the agar on the bottom; (6) turn the gas off at the wall when finished.

As a guide, 500ml of agar will be enough for 20 petri dishes.   I had 38 to plate, but I had a significant amount left over by the time I had finished.  This indicated that I had not poured enough in each petri dish, and that the growing medium would be too thin, ie, insufficient food for the bacteria to grow for a sustained period.

Plates poured with agar cooling under sterile hood.

Plates kept in refrigerated storage ready for use - very proud to see my name featuring.

Systematics team meeting

The Mycology Systematics Team has a weekly meeting at 10am every Monday to discuss past successes and projects for the coming week.

While some of the meeting is taken up with administrative details, it was interesting to hear the anecdotal scientific discussions that take place. This week, there was a discussion about myrtle rust and how new outbreaks of myrtle rust have recently been discovered.  To substantiate details for discussion, Bevan immediately looked up current raw data and was able to confirm that, while many outbreaks had recently been discovered in Northland, most infected plants were found in the same nursery, which did modify the overall picture somewhat.  This was a great example of evidence based discussion.

Wellington Astronomical Society

While in Wellington, I attended a lecture by Professor Kathy Campbell on the search for life on early Earth and Mars, hosted by the Wellington Astronomical Society.  It was interesting to hear how some key hot springs of today are thought to emulate conditions found in early Earth and Mars, and so help scientists to draw conclusions on what early life was like in these times.

The lecture was held in Space Place, which necessitated a very pleasant cable car ride on an idyllic summer evening.

The view from outside Space Place before the lecture.

Science Teaching Leadership Programme (STLP) Symposium

On 7th February, I went to the Royal Society with my host, Megan P and deputy principal, Paul Crowhurst, to the Science Teaching Leadership Programme 2018a.  Everyone was warmly welcomed.   Then time was spent discussing the responsibilities of all parties: the participant teachers, the hosts and the school representatives, and how they can work together for optimum results.

Presenting teacher participants for STLP2018a

The next two days were taken up with Science teaching PD, a motivating mix of curriculum based research and hands on investigation, focusing on the Nature of Science.

Looking at first plates

A day after I had plated my first culture, I looked at them with Megan.  In a natural environment of 25 degrees C they should grow overnight.  You can see from this initial growth, that I have spread the culture correctly on this plate.  Using a loop (a small plastic rod with a loop at one end), I had spread bacteria in solution as follows:  first I spread a concentrated solution in four closely aligned strokes, I then turned the petri dish in a clockwise direction and 'caught' the edge of the concentrated solution to make another four lines which were less concentrated.  Lastly I turned the petri dish around in a clockwise direction again, "caught' the edge of this less concentrated solution and made a final squiggle isolating the culture even more.  This pattern of application is a universal way of plating cultures.

Making media

Bacteria need a food supply to grow on, and a common media associated with plants is potato dextrose agar (PDA).  I observed Megan making two litres of PDA.  A 10% solution is made and then mixed before going into the autoclave for sterilisation before use.  The tape around the lid is heat sensitive and will appear striped after it has been in the autoclave.

Signage

Because Landcare Research is so intrinsically involved in bio-security, signage and the protocols associated with the signage is extremely important.  Lab procedures are audited on a regular basis, and random audits can be expected at any time.

Plating bacteria for the first time

Bacteria samples from the Bioblitz area were collected, and sent from Hamilton up to Mount Wellington overnight for analysis.  Megan showed me how the samples are recorded and then plated on different media. The samples can be identified by monitoring the growth of cultures in different media.  Six different media were used.

There were a bewildering number of petri dishes to plate and keep track of.

Records were kept of each sample

I observed Megan's practised technique.

After observing Megan's very practised technique, I practised plating myself for the first time. 

 I found it difficult to remember all the steps so that all the cultures and the equipment was not contaminated at any time; eg, using a new sterile loop for each new culture, working from the side rather than from the top, keeping my head out from under the hood, etc.

Annual Picnic

The Mycology team at Landcare Research has an annual picnic, and I was lucky enough to catch it on my second day 'on the job'.  It was a lovely, relaxed way to get to know the people I will be working with a little bit.

My mentor, Megan P, is on the far left, and has made me feel especially welcome.

My induction and first look around at Landcare Research - Manaaki Whenua

My induction into the Mycology unit at Landcare Research started on Tuesday 30th January.  This was earlier than some of the other teacher participants because starting early gave me the chance to be involved in the preparation of bacteria for the Bioblitz later in February.

As biosecurity is a main tennent of the organisation the induction was very thorough, starting with a ten minute visitor induction on an i-pad before even leaving the reception area.  Keeping things contained is fundamental to biosecurity, so there were many protocols in place to ensure organisms were kept safe.

After a thorough induction of the laboratories, IT system and general working areas, my host, Megan P, took me on a tour of the building.  I saw the labs, my office area, and other significant places:

Art work based on Landcare science is a feature of the establishment

International Collection of Micro-organisms from Plants (ICMP) is stored under liquid nitrogen

One of the laboratories - this one is PC1

My office space - a bit bald at this stage