Tom Buchanan – Year 12

I have very much enjoyed working in the labs so far, I have had the opportunity to work with equipment I would otherwise have never had the chance to use. Such as the spectrophotometer which I have used to measure the absorbance of solution that I have produced in the lab. I enjoyed my microbiology module in which I produced GFP, a protein with the ability to fluoresce under UV light. Perhaps my most favourite so far has been during my enrichment activities were I have had the chance to work with the schools Daphnia Magna, this tiny, interesting organism is visible by the naked eye, however under microscope we are able to examine its transparent body and organs. I have conducted multiple experiments with them, such as monitoring how they respond to environmental changes like pH of their water, it is interesting to see how their new born respond to this change as I have discovered myself that they seem to produce more young when they are exposed to such a big environment change. I could probably go on forever about it. I have learnt key lab skills that are preparing me for a future working in a lab that I hope to one day have. In conclusion, my time so far in the labs has been fantastic, every day is different which is what makes it so exciting. I feel so lucky to be able to have these facilities available to me.