I’ve written about the logistics of doing a Ph. D before. In it, I mentioned the need to get a scholarship that gives you a fee offset (so that your degree is paid for) and a stipend (so you can actually live). Not everyone can get both, or even one […]
So, a little while ago, I posted about an experiment I was developing as a STEM education program aimed at high school students… Involving yeast. And balloons. 🎈 And I called them the Yeasty Bois. If you didn’t catch that post, I recommend reading it first before reading this one. […]
We’ve had quite a monster run on this COVID PCR test explanatory series. Part 1 covered how to extract genetic material from your swab sample. Part 2 covered the basics of a standard PCR. Part 3 went over the very basics of an RT-PCR, which is what’s used for COVID […]
So far in our little series, we’ve covered how genetic material is extracted from a swab, and how a very basic PCR works. This third part will cover how the theories of a basic PCR are then applied to the fancy type of PCR used for COVID testing… Which is […]
So part 1 covered the process of extracting genetic material from your samples. But before I can explain the next step in the COVID PCR testing process, I first have to explain what a PCR is. 😅 PCR in a nutshell is the process of making lots and lots of […]
Okay. Who knew my previous post on rapid antigen tests would do so well. 😅 So while riding this brief increase in traffic, I’ll follow it up with posts describing the theory behind a COVID-19 PCR test. But given how large a topic this is, I’ve broken it up into […]
It’s that time of year again when I write a reflective piece on the year that was. But… has it really been a year since the last one? Well- not exactly. The last one was posted on the 30th of December 2020, so I still have a week or so […]
I got invited to be a member of a judging panel for a science award aimed at groups of year 7-9 (13-15 year old) students the other day. It was a very inspiring event. The students had to come up with an every day problem that was relevant to their […]
Occasionally I get students who ask me for advice on doing a Ph. D. It usually starts with a, ‘should I do it?’ type of question, and… generally speaking… I tell them ‘no’. Now, some of you may be going, 🤠(<- that should be a gasp) At that. Others […]
Hey there newbie. Yes you, with all your nerves, excitement, and enthusiasm. Welcome to the lab. Maybe you’ve already been introduced to everyone, but lets face it- you’ve already forgotten whose name was whose. So long as you still remember your supervisor’s name, that’s the main thing. Don’t worry- you’ll […]
A Bug's Life 
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