By Thisanja Cooray, Masters of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics student at La Trobe University and current In2science eMentor.
Last month, the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science (LIMS) and the Australian and New Zealand Society for Immunology Inc. (ASI) hosted a Discovery Tour of infection and immunity at La Trobe University. This was a great opportunity to show my In2science mentee, Rhiannon, a peek into how scientists work to find better solutions to fight new diseases. Rhiannon is a curious student – we had amazing In2science sessions, delving into the different realms of science, from cell biology to viruses, during our meetings.
I remember my school days during science field trips, I would be thrilled to find out there was some hands-on experience and interesting science to hear about. Now looking back on it, I can see how this has inspired me to consider taking science at university. So, when the opportunity came about, I immediately contacted my coordinator Dr Tahnee Saunders and put the message out in hopes that my mentee would join in me in an adventure.
Stepping into La Trobe’s Labs
We first sat down to hear Dr Emma Grant’s interesting talk on her work about the Bird Flu. It was a fantastic opportunity for Rhiannon to hear from a great scientist! I was particularly very excited when I found out there was some hands-on activities in the labs as this would help to show real-life lab techniques and foster confidence in STEM.
Everyone was sorted to different groups; our group leader was Professor Begoña Heras, another amazing scientist who guided us through all the sections of the labs. Our first stop was the world of Microbiology, where we went through bacterial and fungi plates that originated from a variety of places, all the way from rivers to someone’s shoe – some of them glowing like the sunset! They were fascinating species, some beneficial to the world, such as those used in insulin production, and others less so.
Then we headed into another lab, geared up in lab coats and gloves, where we got to see cells through a microscope, protein gels, and protein crystallization. Then for the more exciting part – loading an actual protein gel! See what Rhiannon has to say about this experience:
“My favourite part of the day was going into the PC2 lab wearing a lab coat and gloves for the first time. There were a few hands-on activities for me and the rest of the group to participate in. We got to ask the scientists about kidney cancer cells under a microscope. We moved on to the next exciting thing, gel electrophoresis! I got to load a gel to identify what type of protein it was. For that task I used a pipette and a vial containing the different proteins. I was successful at loading the protein into the well in the gel.”
In fact, Rhiannon loaded the protein accurately for the first time!
We also delved into microscopy, from light microscopes to confocal where we observed zebrafish:
“I was taken back by the beating of the zebrafish’s heart, and by the absurdly small size of the creature. I found it fascinating how the zebrafish were transparent for a few weeks. I was also surprised at the size of the labs and university. It had a large range of subjects and was a store of enormous knowledge.”
Why Days Like This Matter
Overall, it was a fun and enlightening experience for not only my mentee but myself as it strengthens my own understanding of science and gives me more appreciation of the research project that I am currently doing for my final year of Masters at La Trobe.
I think it is important for young learners to explore the different sides of science, learn how research has made it into the real world and spark curiosity. Through programs like In2science, this can be achieved. I thank the organisers of the event and my In2science Coordinator Dr Tahnee Saunders for giving me this wonderful opportunity to inspire my mentee.
Stay curious!
