DIYBio PCR Challenge
The PCR Challenge on the 19th of April brought together a lot of eager amateurs interested in the tools and techniques behind CSI-style DNA analysis; looking to see how is it done and whether we could do it too. There are two parts to this process – PCR, a lab technique whereby you select a particular piece of DNA you’re interested in and produce lots of it (amplification), followed by another technique Gel Electrophoresis, the end result of which is a supercool CSI-style gel graph. (more…)
DIYBIO November 16th Meet Up
Description: Join the Manchester DIYBio group for their regular meet up
Date: 16-11-2011
Start Time: 19:00
End Time: 21:00
Join us to talk about our recent DIYBio adventure, the first UK DIYBio Summit. (more…)
DIYBIO October 19th Meet Up
DIYBIO October 19th Meet Up
Location: MadLab
Description: Join the Manchester DIYBio group for their regular meet up
Date: 19-10-2011
Start Time: 19:00
End Time: 21:00
It’s nearly time for the Manchester Science Festival, and we need to prepare! At this month’s meeting we’ll make final adjustments to the Microbe Map so it can be presented at the Art of Microbiology exhibition, get our kit ready for demonstrating at the UK DIYBio Summit, and give the snails coaching in their presentation skills*. (more…)
DIYBIO MCR August 31st meet-up
DIYBIO MCR
Location: MadLab
Description: Open to all, get involved in some do-it-yourself biology experiments!
Date: 31-08-2011
Start Time: 19:00
End Time: 21:00
The snails live! It seems that we’ve got a host of snail-babies in the Madlab tank, so it’s time to decide what our selective breeding experiment will look like.
We’re also hoping to have updates from Team Kit and Team Microbe about what they’ve been up to this month. (more…)
Microbe Picnic
Microbe Picnic
Location: MadLab
Description: A microbe-inspired picnic
Date: 21-08-2011
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 17:00
Who’s going to be there, and what are you going to bring? I’ve set up a doodle poll to get some idea of numbers, so it would be great if people could sign up to that:
http://www.doodle.com/4rghm9gdv2mn2enq
Post here to the list what you’re thinking of bringing so we don’t get too many duplicates! (more…)
Malaysian Trumpet Snail
The Malaysian Trumpet, scientific name Melanoides tuberculata, is a species of freshwater snail, a parthenogenetic, aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Thiaridae. They are native to subtropical and tropical northern Africa and southern Asia.
This species has an elongate, conical shell, which is usually light brown, marked with rust-colored spots. They also have an operculum, essentailly a door to their shell. They feed mainly on algae. (more…)
Microbes, molluscs and machine
20th July, and it was time for another DIYBio meeting. I was looking forward to the meeting immensely because I had heard that quite a lot of progress had been made by some of the teams, and I was really interested in finding out what they had been up to.
Unfortunately not all the news was good. Although a sterling effort was made by Team Snail, the first batch of snails that we brought into Madlab did not fare very well and had sadly expired during the month. A second set had already been introduced to the tank, and we discussed how we might help them survive a bit better this time around. David had done a lot of excellent research, and discovered that our snails are Malaysian Trumpet Snails. They like to burrow, so we gave them some sand for the bottom of the tank. They also thrive best at relatively high temperatures (compared to Madlab) so we discussed obtaining a water heater to maintain the tank at around 25 degrees. We had a very interesting presentation on the snails, including the fascinating fact that while the females can reproduce without mating, the offspring are not identical clones but have variation because the mother snails combine two of their gametes (eggs), each of which contain a random selection of their gene ‘alleles’ – in effect having sex with themselves!
DIYBIO July 20th meeting
Location: MadLab
Description: Open to all, get involved in some do-it-yourself biology experiments!
Date: 20-07-2011
Start Time: 19:00
End Time: 21:00
DIYBIO MCR – Wednesday 20th of July
This month’s DIYBIO is about teamwork. Now that the teams are chosen (alternative team names are welcome – mascots optional) we’ld like to get on with summer projects.
All our hard will be rewarded during the Microbe Picnic in August (date TBC).
The Team’s are named, the Team’s co-cordinators are chosen, we need you diybio-ers to choose your team. We have three discussions for each team on the google group, please leave a message under the team you are in! (http://groups.google.com/group/diybiomcr)
Team Microbe – Continuing the work started by the whole group on Manchester Microbe Map. The data is all in, but needs to be analysed we will soon report back with something interesting!
Team Kit – Will be developing home made versions of the lab equipment that is used for DNA fingerprinting. (Asa please can you let us know what exciting experiment you have organised…..)
Team Snail – Queen snails need some TLC, Beks is on the case and will top them up starting a new experiment.
If you want to get involved in any of these projects, take part in discussions or recommend a new topic, join the mailing list and come to next month’s meeting! (http://groups.google.com/group/diybiomcr)