Week 4

     This has been a very busy week for Stephanie and I.  We began the week by applying the antibodies to to our microchips using the spotting machine, the apparatus that can be programed to deposit nano-drops of a solution onto a microchip  We later viewed our chips under the low magnification IRIS and the high magnification IRIS to make sure the antibodies took.  Unfortunately, only one type of antibody is sticking.  The rest of Monday was spent learning how to analyze data from the new NSF Air IRIS.
     Tuesday morning found us in the clean lab, finishing up our disk projects.  Below is a diagram that details how the process works:  We first exposed our template to UV light which then
transferred the pattern to the disk.  Second, we added photoresist to the disk which adhered to areas where the UV light shined.  Next, we added a nano-sized layer of titanium and gold and finally washed the disk in acetone which removed the gold and titanium which was not attached to photoresist.  What was left was our design, in gold, on the disk.
     Also on Tuesday morning, before the clean lab, we incubated the virus we are trying to capture onto our chips.  By the afternoon, we imaged them and learned that the antibodies are not catching the virus; back to the drawing board, of sorts, for us.
     The rest of the week has found us in the sitting area of the 7th floor of the Photonics Center, analyzing data for the NSF Air.  Our work proved exactly what was suspected: the machine is changing depth perception slightly enough to affect usage.  The crew (Alexander and Jacob) will work on this so we can continue.
     Friday will put us in the classroom of the Summer Challenge classes in the morning, demonstrating the IRIS machines.  After this, we get to join our Cohort teachers to discuss topics in pedagogy.   All the facets of our work this summer have been worthwhile experiences.