Thursday, November 2, 2017

Off on our 6th field trip & DNA isolation

Once again the US-based research team embarks on their approx. 48 hour journey back to Nepal to conduct the next data collection session. However, unlike last time, all team members awoke without the assistance of other team members (i.e., banging on bedroom windows) and were on time. It's amazing how an on start time like this makes for a stress free morning and check in at the airport.

Meanwhile, there has been a lot of work going on back in the lab where the JES research staff have been busy with isolating DNA from the blood clot material collected in the field. The procedure being adopted to isolate the DNA phenol/chloroform with ethanol precipitation procedure. The DNA is being isolated for exome sequencing that will commence in the coming months (more on this element of the study in the near future). In the meantime, while the researchers make their way back to Nepal, here are some images of the DNA isolation procedure.

Inspecting the blood clot.
Removing clot from tube.
Clot (still mostly frozen) is removed.
Only 1/2 to 3/4 of the clot is needed.
Clots are thawing.
Thawed clots undergoing a proteinase K digestion.


Ready for the ethanol precipitation.
Undergoing ethanol precipitation.

Isolated DNA (will undergo additional cleaning steps)
can be seen at the bottom of the 50 mL Falcon tube.

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