Students will be able to analyze critically and apply the major principles of cell and molecular biology.
Starting off at Longwood one of my first Biology courses was Biology 250, Intro to Genetics and Cell Biology. This class introduced me into the world of Cells and Genetics and helped me get a deep understanding of what further genetics and cell biology classes could entail. During this course, I completed a semester long project on the Isolation of Yeast in Green Apples. At the end of the semester my group and I put together a poster presentation for the Spring Symposium at Longwood. With this project, I was able to experience different techniques like collecting data, PCR amplification, gel electrophoresis, and DNA sequencing through BLAST analysis. Through this project I learned so many great techniques that would then help me in my career at Longwood.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/16DFMbb3elGTN-g9-iOfRmMpiqb_SBwgz/view?usp=sharing
Later on in my time here at Longwood I took Biology 305, Microbiology, which was such a great experience. During this course, I learned so many more techniques and we got to dive deeper into the world of bacteria and infectious diseases. Halfway through the semester each student had to pick a bacterium to research and give a presentation on. My presentation was on Mycobacterium ulcerans. Through these presentations I was able to learn about so many different bacteria and what kinds of diseases they each cause.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1deoGgM0s8moSkaKDQyHRScpvWlqUb05Y/view?usp=sharing
From my Biology 305 course, Microbiology, we also had to conduct a semester long research project. At the end of this project each group had to write a scientific research paper to show their support and findings from this project. The project my group conducted was the Analysis of Microbial Flora in Dogs (Canis lupis) vs. Humans (Homo sapiens). This project was very interesting and allowed me to put the techniques I learned from the course into an actual research project.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZHyNkxmXXit1sP0LtDcnLRK4iO53wuaOskaSNkYlSY4/edit?usp=sharing
Through this pillar of Genetics and Cell Biology course I was able to learn a very important information to help me with my journey at Longwood. I will take these techniques and this knowledge and apply them to future course and jobs after Longwood.