We started class by talking about how to interpret our PCR results by looking at gel images. The goal for the day was to prepare the samples that worked (ie had positive bands on gel) for submission for Sanger Sequencing. We had a brief discussion about why we need to clean up PCR products, how …

There can be points when running a CURE where there are tradeoffs between student learning and the best utilization of class time. In this case, we set-up and ran the PCR for the students ‘behind the scenes’ rather than using class time for them to do it themselves. These ‘black boxes’ can be detrimental to …

The structure of these two weeks involving pH growth curves and analysis was very similar to that of the previous two weeks (osmolarity). Before class, our student assistants performed dilution streaks (instead of the students) and prepared overnight cultures from those plates. The overnight cultures were used by the students for the pH growth curves. …