What project should I do over the summer?

[ecoli]

I'm going to Israel's Wiezmann's Institute this summer, in a pre-college research program. I get to pick from different labs and different projects. I know I want to do a bio project, but I can't decide which ones. Maybe someone could help me decide? The abstracts are available here: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/diff_angle/young/unit_e.php?line=179&sbline=1954

 

Thank you very much!

[mezarashi]

It's quite an honor to be picking what you will be doing for you, but okay ^^

[Skye]

3-D Movement Trajectories of Rat Whisker Movements

I think we have a winner.

[blike]

The whisker one sounds like a lot of fun. I also think "Molecular Modeling of the Sodium/Potassium Pump" would be fascinating.

[Kornkid]

Whiskers would be kool!

[beachbum]

did u just enter in or did you enter in ISEF or some other kinda science fair that bought you in. cuz i know a guy that went there last year.

[Dak]

I also think "Molecular Modeling of the Sodium/Potassium Pump" would be fascinating.

each to there own.

 

the rats-wiskers one sounds fun, interesting and useful, with the added bonus that you get to work with rats without having to kill them.

 

Id have put the gp41/HIV one down as well, but thats just a personal fetish.

[AzurePhoenix]

Although an adamant supporter of the whisker-thingy myself, I'm still rather surprised at how many votes it's picked up. Yay for disease-ridden rodents!!

[Bluenoise]

Application of Real-Time Relative PCR for Validation of Differential Expression of Genes in Rat

[greentea]

Localization of focal adhesion proteins in MARCKS wild-type and knockout mouse fibroblasts during cell spreading. Only I should somehow get proper immunostaining, cause I have already wasted 3 weeks trying.

[ecoli]

Application of Real-Time Relative PCR for Validation of Differential Expression of Genes in Rat [brains]

 

Yeah, this is the one I was leaning towards. It seems the most goal oriented. A lot of the other projects (if you read the abstracts) seem not as goal-oriented, but just concentrating on certain techniques without a definitive goal. This project doesn't do that, and plus it relies on techniques I'm famaliar with, or at least feel comfortable learning.

 

did u just enter in or did you enter in ISEF or some other kinda science fair that bought you in. cuz i know a guy that went there last year.

 

I entered the Long Island division of ISEF earlier this year, but didn't make it past the first stage.

 

 

Thank you everyone for your responses! Please keep commenting!

[Bluenoise]

Yeah' date=' this is the one I was leaning towards. It seems the most goal oriented. A lot of the other projects (if you read the abstracts) seem not as goal-oriented, but just concentrating on certain techniques without a definitive goal. This project doesn't do that, and plus it relies on techniques I'm famaliar with, or at least feel comfortable learning.

[/quote']

 

Mnnn hmmm Exactley what i was thinking.

 

I think it has the greatest potential to yeild very insightful and significant results. These results will most likely lead to a lot of other interesting potential research projects as well. It's nice to do something that you can see being expanded on, or leading somewhere.

[ecoli]

Mnnn hmmm Exactley what i was thinking.

 

I think it has the greatest potential to yeild very insightful and significant results. These results will most likely lead to a lot of other interesting potential research projects as well. It's nice to do something that you can see being expanded on' date=' or leading somewhere.[/quote']

 

Exactly. I'll only be in Israel for 3 weeks, so I'd want to work on something that could be beneficial on a the short term.

[Bluenoise]

Not to mention that Real time PCR is a pretty nifty technique.

[ecoli]

yeah, I started to learn it last summer, but I didn't have time to collect any data because my summer was cut short. Ah well

[ecoli]

Ok I leave in one week, and I need to make a decision soon...anybody else have any opinions?

 

ps... thanks for all the replies, everyone!