While I knew that working in Dr. Nie's lab would be an amazing and very educational experience, I could not have predicted how much my first month of internship would teach me. I have learned in-depth about the neural crest, cell migration, Xenopus development, and much more; however, it is the hands-on lab work that has taught me the most. As a high school senior, this is the first real research lab that I have ever worked in. Seeing as my prior lab experience was minimal, I would never have imagined that I would be doing the procedures I am doing today.
After watching and learning from Dr. Nie, the other lab staff, and the undergraduate students, I began to assist in procedures and then perform them on my own. Especially in this lab, where we are handling very small and delicate embryos, many of the lab techniques must be carried out with a high level of precision in order to be successful. Below is a slideshow with pictures from my first month in the lab that showcase some of the different lab techniques I have learned.
After watching and learning from Dr. Nie, the other lab staff, and the undergraduate students, I began to assist in procedures and then perform them on my own. Especially in this lab, where we are handling very small and delicate embryos, many of the lab techniques must be carried out with a high level of precision in order to be successful. Below is a slideshow with pictures from my first month in the lab that showcase some of the different lab techniques I have learned.