Adopt a Microbe

          The biggest project ever I had done for subject Microbiology is ‘Adopt a Microbe’. This project required me to pick a microbe and make a scrapbook about the microbe. At first I thought it is hard because the task was given on my first met with the lecturer. I do not know much about microbes at that time. The due date was Week 14 which I thought quite long. This also made me thought that it is hard because I need 14 weeks to complete that.

          The first few week I started to find an interesting microbe for me to adopt. I gone through the internet to find microbe that gave benefit to human’s skin. Because at that time I suffered a very serious acnes problem on my skin. I tried a lot of products that remove bacteria on my skin then I found that maybe the products killed some of them that actually protecting my skin from acnes. So that was why my acne keep going serious. After a few hours, I short listed a few bacteria that can help to protect us from disease. I picked Staphylococcus epidermis as my microbe. It is a type bacteria that can help to boost immune system. Next, I find more information about the microbe to complete my scrapbook requirements. By the way, the information needed were name, nutrition, metabolism, significant, characteristics, ecology and some pictures.

          At this time, I had found enough information to start my scrapbook. I use Cliptomize to make my scrapbook. Some of my friends use PowToon but I was short of time to use that. But I am satisfied with what I had done. In my opinion, I thought it was quite interesting. If I was given the same chance again I would definitely use PowToon. For 3MT slide I just highlighted the ecology of the bacteria as it had 3 types of interaction with human. They were mutualism, commensalism and parasitism.

          The most challenging time was when I need to present the bacteria. During 3MT, I was very nervous. First because I was alone, second because 3 lecturers were evaluating me. I was very grateful because I was one of the earliest presenter so I did not need to hold my nervousness for a long time. When presenting I was trembling a little bit for first few seconds. Then I can go on smoothly even not so smooth because I forgot some of the information that I remembered before. So what had been done were done. I accepted what the result was.

          In conclusion, this project taught me to be creative, independent and confident. It was a good experience to present my microbe in front of people so my second try should be better in the future. Lastly, I hope I can answer the final examination questions greatly and pass with flying colors.

Yakult's Trip

Last time, I had a trip to Yakult’s factory with my classmates and my lecturer. The factory is located at Seremban. At 8.15 a.m., my classmates and I departed from our faculty with bus. We arrived there around 9 a.m. I was very excited to see inside of the building.

Yakult's Factory

As I entered the building, the lobby was full of sakura flower. I felt like I was in Japan for a while. It was a very beautiful scenery with a bench under a big sakura tree. Then, we are told to go to the lecture hall upstairs to hear a talk about their product.

I received many new information about Yakult drink actually. They were so interesting but I am just gonna highlight some of it. I learnt something new there when I knew there were some requirements for a bacteria to be in cultured drink. The bacteria need to reach our intestine alive, live in our intestine and proven to be beneficial for us. This requirement matched with Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain, which could reach our intestine alive and had higher resistance to gastric juice and bile. There were also a term called Shirota-ism which means preventive medicine that leads to healthy intestine to achieve a long life with an affordable price. Bad balancing of intestinal flora were caused by stress, aging, infection, unbalanced diet and consumption of medicine (antibiotics). Since 50% of our immune system were in our intestine, we really need to have a balanced intestinal flora. This could be help by taking cultured drink such as Yakult. The benefit of drinking Yakult are increasing good bacteria, decreasing harmful bacteria, reduce the production of toxin,improve bowel movement (for constipation and diarrhea), and boost immune system by making NK cells to function more effectively to detect and destroy cancer cells. There are also 30 billion Shirota strain per bottle.

In the lecture hall

After the talk, we go for a tour to see the making of Yakult drink. I did not remember much the step because we could not took picture. What I remembered were firstly they cultured the bacteria in a tank then transfer to a mixing tank before sent to storage tank. The next step was packaging process. I love to see this because the flow looked wonderful and made me felt like in Willy Wonka's factory.It looked very tidy,clean  and systematic.

Steps to make Yakult drink

Mixing tank

Packaging process

After the tour finish of course it was picture time. Everyone took pictures around the lobby with friends and some selfies. During that time I managed to buy Yakult drinks for a dozen. It was much cheaper than in stores. Then we took class pictures as a sign we had been there.

The lobby and counter to buy merchandise

Class picture

After that, we got on the bus and departed to the campus. Around 12.15 p.m. we arrived at the faculty. It was a great trip even only for a couples of hours. I gained many new knowledge about Yakult and hope to use that knowledge in my daily life. 

Yakult Ace Light & Yakult Ace

Microbial Ecology

After a long time, at last Dr. Wan came into the class again. Not to just to meet us but also to teach us topic 9: Microbial Ecology.I thought last time was the last class ever for this semester but I was wrong. I was happy plus excited when I heard the news.

For this class the learning concept was very different from before. We actually need to teach our friend in relay. Each group divided the subtopic to every member. The person who in charge of the subtopic need to understood and find extra information about that topic. Then, the group will explain what they had found to the other group. For example, Group 1 to Group 2 and so on. The explanation was just like simple discussion while facing each other.

I got the subtopic about negative interaction between organisms. This activity had thought me how to deliver information effectively to the other person and gave me the satisfaction when the other person understood the info and can pass to the other group.

But if I could rewind the time, I wanted to do the session again because the last group's conclusions disappoint my expectation. They said there are no new information delivered to them other than information in the notes. Before that, when I explained to the group before them, I included new example of the negative interaction but they did not pass down the information. There must be something that happen between the discussion that caused this situation. I hope to fix that if I can turn back the time.

Overall, the class was different. The lecturer did not give lecture but just be there and in the other hand, students teach each other with lecturer's guide.

Microbial community in freshwater

Eukaryote Games

This is the last day of lecture with Dr. Wan. I am feeling a little bit discouraged because I will miss the way of her lecturing. The last topic is about eukaryotic cells.

To learn this topic, we dont need to sit and hear the lecture but we play games. There are 6 groups in my class so there are 6 games overall. Every group have different ways to play the games. The games are Kahoot, flip card, word puzzle, treasure hunt, bingo and musical chairs. All of the groups are so creative to create new games rule based on a classical one.

Kahoot

Flip Card

Crossword Puzzle

Treasure Hunt

Musical chair

Bingo

My group organize the bingo. During the discussion for the game, several days before we play the games, the discussion was very effective and everyone gave out ideas of their own on how to play the bingo. Of course there are some clash of idea and some argument happen before we can decide the best way. The activities teach me on how to cooperate with my group members and how to be considerate on others and follow the majority opinion.

I cannot pick which group is the most fun because all of the games are fun but not very perfect so none is the best (I am a little bit perfectionist). The most creative one is the treasure hunt because the idea is new but the game rules can be improved a lot more. Musical chairs is the funniest game for me. It is very funny to see my friends scramble for the chairs but the way of giving mark is a little bit weak. The game that I think need to be improved a lot in the future is the flip cards game. The rule is too tight for a 15 minutes game. If we play for an hour then it will be very boring. The game also exceed 15 minutes and the progress was very slow. The probability to find the right answer in the flip cards were low in the time given. They should decrease the number of flip cards.

For my group, I had heard comments that a lot of them said they are not satisfied with the answer given. In the future, my group should check the answer again and again as a lot of the questions are taken from the internet so we aspect that the answer are all correct.

Lastly, I enjoyed the activities and it teach me a lot of new knowledge mentally and physically.

Memories for last class

Prokaryote Quiz.

In this lesson I still learn about prokaryote. We learn about the transport system on the plasma membrane such as active transport, passive transport and osmosis. 

But this week my lecturer held a test in the class. She conducted the test by displaying the question on the screen in front of the class and we all answer the questions together but cannot discuss or copy our friend's answer.

I think I learned the most in this way of learning because I answer the question based on only what I remembered in our lesson before. I did not study before the test start. This resembled the percent of my focus in the class. I am glad I can answer 70% of the question correctly. That is because maybe my focus is only 70% in the class. I also know the technique to deal with the question that I cannot answer. I just use my logic and a little bit telepathy to sense the right answer. Sometimes I get the right answer but sometimes not.

In conclusion, if I were to turn back the time and do the class all over again, I will read the notes to top up the 30% and pick the answer not based on telepathy.

P/s: Telepathy that I mean here is the good feeling that I feel when I choose an answer.

Microscopy & Prokaryote

In this topic, I learned about types of microscope. Before this I believe that there are only 3 types of microscopy technique. They are light microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). I am surprised to know that there are more than 3 types of microscopy technique. Their name are also very alien to me such as confocal microscope, Normaski differential interference contrast (DIC) micorscopy, phase contrast microscopy and fluorescence microscope. Every and each of them have different ability. Some create 3D image, can analysed the thickness of specimen, can see outer layer of the cell, can see through the cell and can see the colour of specimen. Even the same specimen that had been put under these microscopes can produce different micrograph. 

Different types of microscope

Phase contrast micrograph

DIC micrograph

SEM micrograph

I also just know that there are also many types of stain other than gram-positive and gram-negative. These types of stain have different purpose. For example, there are special stain for flagella. This is to enhance the shape of flagella under the microscope so that we can observe it more clearly.

Flagella stain. We can see the flagella clearly here.

Before class, we were given task to make an online mind map about prokaryote. But during the class all of us need to write the mind map on the whiteboard again together. I was thinking the word that I remember from the mind map and quickly go in front and wrote 'glycocalyx' before anyone wrote the same word because everyone was scrambling to write on the board. It was funny because everyone was like pushing each other to write their word because maybe they also felt like me. The funniest part is when the mind map is complete, it did not look like completed. Just see the picture I attached. From this activity I learn more about team work, communication and the art of systematic.

Expectation

Reality. Reality hurts.

The other activity that I think help me to learn is when we use quizzlet. We need to put terms that we remember with its definition in 20 minutes. Then take the test about the terms that we had typed in. Generally, I make the questions and I answer the questions. In my mind I thought "You should get full mark at this rate seriously". But I get 1 wrong because I type 'ENDOSPORES' instead of 'ENDOSPORE'. So annoying. This reminds me that I am more intelligent than the computer so why make them do all of my work. I am motivated to not too rely on computer when completing my assignments.

So at the end of the topic I should know how to differentiate between different types of microscope so when I meet one after this I am not too amazed as a biotechnology faculty's student.

Just for fun

Introduction to Microbiology

This semester I am learning the subject Microbiology.This is my first time learning about microbes in details. Before this, I only know about the types of microbe such as bacteria, algae, virus and fungi.My first impression of the subject is nothing. I just thought of it as a subject that I need to take in my course and just learn about it. But I love to see the creatures under the microscope. I like to search them under the microscope and when I find them I feel very satisfied with my own effort.

In the first class I thought the class will be like the other class but it was very different from the other class. The class is not very formal. It was just like a gathering to learn about microbiology.

The first topic that I learn is Introduction to Microbiology. I learn a lot of new and interesting facts in this topic. I am very fascinated when I know that bacteria can be in a form of art. It is very beautiful. It can be in the shape of flower or just an abstract.

Bacteria in the form of art

I also feel amazed  when I know about watermelon snow. Watermelon snow is a type of algae in the snow that will turn to red when it sense pressure, for example human's footstep. The algae is Chlamydomonas nivalis.

Watermelon snow

Chlamydomonas nivalis

I also know new things that there are the biggest virus in the world. It is even bigger from some other bacteria.

Pandoravirus

The thing that changed my view toward microbiology is that how to memorize the name of the microbes. Before this, I thought it is very hard because it is so confusing to memorize them.But now I know that I need to understand the origin and history of the microbe to memorize their name.

In the class, I learn a lot from our way of discussion that is to share the information we know with everyone. We also use the internet a lot to find information. This way of learning helps me a lot to understand and do not stress out myself. I love to play the quiz on Kahoot because it is really fun and I enjoy it. But the bad side of it is that it needs internet connection which is a little bit hard to get.

Now I know that this subject is very important to me. The benefits of the microbe will be important in my course when I am doing any research. At this moment, bit by bit I am going to continue to love microbiology.