Primers and PCR
This week was my first ~real~ introduction to primer design and optimization! Both the lecture and the discussion were really helpful in understanding how one moves from understanding what a primer is to actually using your own in your research. It was also great to get a refresher on some PCR techniques and learn some new terms and methods. I have been learning qPCR this semester and it was really informative to discuss its process in conjunction with doing it myself and seeing my own results. We also recently validated some primers that were not designed by me, so going back and learning the earlier steps was pretty relevant and important. I hope to get more independent with primer design, and this has been a good first step.
I really loved the demo of the biomeme this morning! I had no idea that kind of technology was available, and it’s a really intriguing alternative to the more traditional thermocyclers. While I imagine that it has its own catchups to work through, the potential field uses for such technology are exciting. It could also be a really cool way to get the public excited about science and molecular biology, a topic that can sometimes be difficult to breach with beginners. For someone new to the idea, it would certainly be an exciting introduction to how DNA can be analyzed.