Day 5: Doing experinment at biomaterial lab. ^-^

Today, no more pneumatic launcher. So had to meet Jinkai in the e-Space today.

We met Jinkai again, and he brought us to his office. He then reviewed his experiment procedures for the day, to make sure there were no mistakes, before putting it in a folder and bringing us to the cell lab.

The cell lab

At the begining, Jinkai introduced the steps he planned to take, for his precursor experiment.

• First,check the growth of cells which were treated with certain drugs which made them unhealthy,  and count the number of cells which stay alive in the cell culture.
• Second, change the medium for the cells so that they could grow normally during the weekends. (Each medium has a life span of 3-4 days)
• Lastly, use the cell counter to count the number of cells remaining at the culture multiwell plate in which a medicine were added to kill unhealthy cells.

Before using the dye (turns dead cells a deep navy blue), Jinkai transfered cells with medium using pipette into a cell cube and then used centrifuge to seperate the cells and the medium.

Then he changed the medium with new one and took out part of the liquid for dilution. This was to ensure it would be easier to count the cells.

He diluted the solution twice in succession, before showing us a haemocytometer. It's an apparatus used to aid in the counting of cells, by use of dividing lines that make it easy for counting.

Haemocytometer

He then added the dye to the cell culture, before starting to count the number of cells in a certain area displayed on the haemocytometer. He then extrapolated to find the original number of cells in the tube that was put in the centrifuge.

Then, off to lunch, after a trek around campus.

 I have a suspicion we keep going to far off canteens so that the mentors (who are ALL guys so far), get more time to 'admire the view'. Not that I mind, of course. Heh.

After lunch, did more work in the lab.

Freezing the cell culture for use in the distant future. THIS BE FORESIGHT.

Jinkai reviewed our work on the blog and the innovation challenge so far.

We are seriously underprepared, but will give it our best shot, as our mentors have worked hard, to teach us about material science.

Peace out.