Hello WEL followers!

Dragon team started out the week with a DNA emergency! As part of Dr. Keller’s (our fearless leader and mother of dragons; pictured on the right) Nanniziopsis guerri research project, which is a cutaneous mycoses in bearded dragons, we had to extract DNA from samples veterinarians had collected from around the nation, including UC Davis, North Carolina, Colorado, and our very own Illinois.

Our first step to complete this daunting task was to find the samples. Ivana and Dr. Allender went on a hunt through the veterinary teaching hospital to find the swabs. In a funny turn of events, we discovered that a majority of the samples were in the lab, right under our noses!

The next problem we had to solve was how to accurately assign numbers to each of the tubes. This was a perilous mission because if we failed then the data would not be accurate, and the study would be lost. During the mission it was up to Ivana, with her superior eye for detail, to assign the numbers in the computer while Bryce used his beautiful handwriting to label tubes.

Over the next few days Bryce and Ivana worked tirelessly to complete about 100 DNA extractions. The process of doing a DNA extraction involves a series of enzymes, buffers and incubation periods (the set up is pictured on the left). The combination of these steps allows the DNA from the swab to be extracted into a pure solution.

Once the extractions were completed, Ivana and Bryce worked on nano-dropping. Nano-dropping is the use of a spectrophotometer to determine the concentration of DNA and purity of the sample. By the end of the week Team Dragon had successfully extracted and nano-dropped about 100 samples of DNA, thus, saving the day allowing the mother of dragons and our fearless leader, Dr. Keller, to continue her research and saving the world, one bearded dragon at a time!

Other highlights of the week included completely reorganizing our bearded dragon/box turtle room and figuring out what our individual projects are going to be. Goes to show, no matter how many degrees you have, you still have to keep the house clean! Stay tuned for personal research project descriptions next week!

Dr. Matthew C. Allender, DVM, MS, PhD, DACZM: Pictured above doing a bang up job sweeping the bearded dragon/turtle room floor